I'm back!

Well it's been a while since my last post - and I apologize for the delay! Life can be a bumpy ride sometimes - but if we just hold on and look for the good, soon the sun shines again! 

I met with writers block along the way too - maybe because I feel like I've got so much to share (and learn!) that I can't get it out fast enough!

So lately I've been inspired to start writing again as I've been working with some wonderful women full of amazing potential health (amongst other things!) that are reminding me of the challenges of overcoming poor lifestyle habits, and it has reignited my passion to encourage people to create their own ideal lifestyle based on regaining ultimate health and wellness.

Perhaps I'm inspired also because I noticed that people I met last January when I shared with them my title of my potential book, and have since released a second book with a very similar title (although with a slight tweak and a different message) and be a bestseller!

While at first I was a little upset - as I had met them in person in my hometown, and we had a discussion and I was naively honest - I soon realized that the difference between them and me was confidence. They believed in their ability to share their message, and therefore acted upon it, took a flying leap of blind faith and stepped into the limelight to share their message. This is when I actually took it on board as a compliment - validation if you like - that my ideas are good enough to take and interpret as ones own.

This re-ignited my belief because I realized my message was never about the title - it's about the fact that I genuinely care about helping people create and maintain the momentum of change in their own lives - which is the same as the said couple that I therefore congratulate and am happy that they are contributing greatly to creating a change of tide, towards better health.  

This was a great lesson to learn - for my own self-development.

Life is what you make it! This year I'm going to sneak out on the limb more! I may even climb the whole tree!

Chill out time

So the weekend is almost here, and so is the time of many great family get togethers - and lots of beautiful food!

I know that I'm going to enjoy the down time, relax and unwind. I'm trying something way different - going out of my comfort zone - with a possible crocodile spotting tour - what about you?

Time to ourselves is a great time to learn something new about us. Try finding something new about you - whether it be a facing a fear (hope we're not going on a tinnie!), a new activity you like, a new food you like or maybe a book?

Holidays tend to mean over-indulgence - but not if we're listening to our bodies! Including plenty of fresh and alive foods along with foods that we know make our bodies feel better (the ones you may have noticed made you feel good after you read this post) will mean that when we choose to indulge - our body can handle it better!  These days it's definitely quality over quantity for me!

All in all - enjoy a relaxing weekend!

Focus: "From Little Things....

So, it's not rocket science I know - but when we continue to make better choices than we we would have previously, it's going to result in a better version of ourselves!

When we make premium choices, that's when the results are really evident - only a blind man could miss them! (and even then, he may be more perceptive than some men I know!)

So we don't have to be perfect. YAY!! Perfection is overrated anyway!

Just consistent.

Consistency is the name of the game with changing our health. The only way we can continue to consistently make better choices is to know our reason to change.

Why do we want better health?
Why do we want to be slimmer?
Why do we want more self-confidence?

I know these questions are fairly obvious, and are closely related to my posts from last week, but these are really important questions that we need to answer otherwise permanent success will always elude us.

When times get tough, if we don't have a reason as to why to make the better choice, it's easy to give in to the "If you can't beat 'em, join in" voice in our head!

So the challenge for this week is to find your purpose.  What are your answers for the above questions?  You don't have to tell anyone - though feel free to share if you like - and it's entirely dependent on how you feel - not what you think other people expect of you.

Happy soul searching.

Oh, and in case you don't know the rest of the post title - it's "Big Things Grow" (written by Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody)

Self-Respect

The more I research health, fitness and nutrition, the more I realise that at the heart lies respect for ourselves, our bodies and the gift of life.

This is obviously a key point highlighted in the wonderful movie Hungry for Change and it reminded me of how central to changing our lives this concept is. It was also highlighted in a few episodes of "Biggest Loser" this week (which I confess to watching occasionally!)

If we don't respect ourselves enough to show care and love for our bodies, then we certainly can't expect anyone else to. Is it any wonder that relationships can struggle under the strain of health and weight related difficulties - we're not in a nice place emotionally.

How do you show yourself that you care for yourself?  Do you have any rituals or self-devised rules that you follow?  I would love to hear them!

Have a happy day!

Focus: Relearning our approach to Food

This post is a little later this week partly because I don't like to write a post unless I have inspiration - waffling on is a speciality of mine in real life whereas I prefer my blog to be a little more poised, articulate and considered!

My aim is to inspire a change of health in others with a more holistic approach than most of us read about in the average health related newspaper article, magazine or diet book - on an intuitive level.

So after finishing watching the fantastic movie "Hungry For Change", it occurred to me that THIS film could be a great place to start for those who don't know where to begin relearning their approach to food. 

Although quite often we know what we should be doing, sometimes it takes a "kick up the butt" to move us into action.

Watching this movie may be just the "kick" that you need to propel you forward on your journey to better health and vibrant living!

This movie is free online until the 31st of March - make the most of it while it's available free - and share it with friends and family that you care about - it may not only change your life, but theirs as well!

"Be the change you wish to see in the world" Mahatma Gandhi

Hungry for Change

I know one thing that I'm definitely doing this weekend!  No Romantic Comedy for me this Saturday night, I will be watching this much anticipated film "Hungry for Change" from the makers of the brilliant and much needed "Food Matters."

It's a film about food quality and how most foods in todays' society are not food, but in fact food-like substances.  

I can't wait to watch this movie, as I've only heard brilliant things about it. If you are questioning what is healthy, and are unsure, from what I've heard, this is a great place to start.

I found the key to changing my health and wellness was through learning and listening and while it may not seem as attractive as popping on the latest Reese Witherspoon movie (or action pic if that's more up your alley) this may help create the change you need in light of your own health. Your food is (or should be!) after all, your medicine.

Have a great weekend - let me know what you think if you watch it!





 

Oh the possibilities.....

We all have times were we doubt ourselves, and we struggle to figure out how and why we should stay on the path we're already on - even if it is something we are truly passionate about. I'm at this point now, and maybe it's been coming for a little while - as I've been really apprehensive about this year with my baby starting school. Even yesterday on a beautiful sunny autumn day I drove past the park we used to hang out at after going for a bike ride - I missed him and I felt a lump in my throat. I stopped the car and walked through that park as a symbol of the new part of the journey I am on.


So, in an effort to help clear my head, I am sharing my thoughts with you, and hope that somehow this will help me with direction. I suppose I'm thinking out loud. I apologize for the lack of clarity in the following - I'm not ready to divulge all of myself yet.


Lately I've felt compelled to follow a path that is so blindingly obvious, that I'm already on it - well for myself anyway! I have felt passionate about this area for as long as I can remember, though the way I relate to this area of interest has changed with the decades. 


I feel drawn to do "big things" and help others in this particular area, as I feel my experiences can help. Yet I look around me and I see that I'm no different to anyone else - what makes me think I'm more "qualified" to follow this path?  


I see more and more people telling the same sorts of stories and sharing similar ideas just with different packaging. Why would I go to the effort of launching myself into a mammoth project just to have it fizzle out? Would it fizzle out? How embarrassing if it did fizzle out? Would I fight to the death to prevent it fizzling out but risk my closest friends and family in the meantime while all of my energy and effort is diverted elsewhere?


Why does sharing just with my friends and family not feel like enough? (besides the fact that they'll probably get sick to death of me, and stop inviting us over!) Why do I feel like I have to help not one, not one hundred, but at least one thousand people?


My brain is answering all of these as I write and I'm not sure I want it to. 
My soul is telling me because I want to leave a legacy - not money, or stuff (because God knows I already have enough clutter - and no - my kids don't want more toys for presents this year! LOL!) - I want to leave a legacy of good health, goodwill and knowledge.


I've always loved books and as a kid I remember feeling anxious when I was in about grade three or four when I visited the library and it was a big deal because it was the first time we were allowed to do something (or maybe it was a the first time they opened it? I can't remember) but I felt anxious because I thought - how will I possibly be able to read my way through all of these books before the end of grade seven???? 


That sums me up to this day. I didn't want to read all of the books in the library because  I wanted to "do it perfectly" - I wanted to read them all because there is SO much out there to learn - and when you're a kid who doesn't have a driver's license or passport and the internet was not yet heard of in the average Australian family home back then (early 90's) then books are the perfect place to start. 


This thirst for knowledge is propelling me forward now. While I enjoy what I'm currently doing and it does change people's lives - my other passion has the power to change so many more lives and I want to help shape a legacy of knowledge and good health - for the generations yet to come. 


I can serve a purpose to help others and to help shape a brighter future.






   

Focus: Maintain Momentum!

In the process of my journey - I bought SO many books and magazines - they were literally piled around me. I read so many different theories on nutrition, magazines for improving running technique, gleaned other magazines for tips on designing workouts for particular reasons and so on. But NONE of this mattered if I didn't take what I learnt and then put it into action. 


Just knowing information doesn't mean that it will make us healthy. Quite often we know isn't working for us, and we also know what we generally should be doing - but we choose not to. We are making a decision at that point - to put our head in the sand. I know - I've done it myself so many times. 


It takes the recognition that we're not happy with our current state, and the realization that "if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you always get!" 


So if you are wanting a different outcome, or perhaps you've started making changes but you're struggling to keep it going - start finding a way to maintain a positive momentum of change. Look at your vision board, work on your passions, play your "theme song," do things that "satisfy your soul without compromising your goal" (my own little saying) - so baking a whole cake for yourself is out!    


These small things help to create a positive shift in your thinking which will hopefully lead you to make choices regarding your health that show appreciation for, and nurture, your body.


Start loving yourself more by making an effort to be less critical of yourself, and making choices that you know will nourish and care for your body, and you will be amazed at how this will help you keep moving towards a healthier and happier you. 



Are you feeling me? What is your gut reaction to this post? Let me know how you feel about this topic - I'd love to hear more thoughts!



Have a great week!  

What's your theme song?

So, I got to thinking this morning as I drove home from the school drop off.  
In an effort to find motivation to knuckle down and write another project that I'm working on, I put on one of my favourite positive songs - which wasn't quite the one I was looking for, but it helped lift my mood and made me remember that everything worth having requires hard work and nothing comes easy.


This made me wonder who else has a "theme song?" 


My theme songs change every now and then depending on the goals that I'm working on - for example I remember running a half marathon last May in preparation for a marathon later in the year. This event was a test - the time that I achieved would be used by my mad marathon buddies to calculate a predicted time for big run.


The whole time I was running I could see the 65 year old man who was a training buddy about 1km ahead of me! So I started repeating (in my head) "kick it up another notch" (from the song "Kick it Up" by The McClymonts) to remind me to push through the pain and keep going because before I know it - the race will be over and I wanted to know that I had put everything in.     


This was so powerful!! I didn't catch him - he came in at 1hr 37mins and I came in at 1hr 42! But I had shaved 16 minutes off my previous (and first) half marathon time and I was in the top 10 finishers for females!


As an interesting side note, apparently the man who smashed the then world record for men's 5000m race (Halle Gebrselassie of Eithiopia) said that he won by setting his pace to the beat of that old song from the 90's - "Scatman!"


My current "theme song" is "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield and "Astonishing" by the very talented Natalie Weiss - which I play regularly with my children in the car! These are just beautiful songs with such positive uplifting messages and as I feel like I have such BIG plans for my life - the what is obvious to me, but the how isn't quite apparent yet - so "Unwritten" seems like an obvious choice! Just hearing the song gets me inspired!  


So guess what I'm about to do?  Play my theme songs and write!


What's your "theme song?" I'd love to hear the song titles that you feel help you towards your goal!

Focus - Invite More Energy into Your Life

So far I've talked about focusing on how your body feels after eating certain foods and how it responds to these foods. I've also suggested that you create a new ritual in place of one that didn't make you feel so great, or wasn't working for you - for example the mid-afternoon slump. 


Then I raised the question of passion - are you doing the things that you love? (Have you got any thoughts on this? I'd love to hear what your passion is!)


So far - you may be thinking that this is not getting dramatic results - but the key thing to consider is that until you realize that your actions are not aligned with the end result that you have in mind - you are not going to reach your goal - optimal health which happens to result in a slim healthy body!


Just like my light bulb moment when I realized that I was a fat person because I was acting like one. I expected to meander through the day eating whatever I wanted - while also expecting that I should be able to fit into anything I like!  Go figure!


So one characteristic of a healthy person became obvious to me - they all eat plant food like fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. But where I was coming from - that all seemed like rabbit food. 


My palate was so used to being saturated with full-on flavour explosions like savoury crackers with as many numbers and artificial colours in them as there were crackers in the box, or rich mud cake (that was designed to sit on a shelf for 3 to 4 weeks!) washed down with creamy coffee. Plant food was just so bland in comparison! 


With this in mind, the focus for the week is to invite more energy into your life - through living foods. 


Think about how much food that you include during your day that includes real live energy.  Do you start the day with a piece of fruit in your breakfast? Or a roasted tomato on the side of your eggs? Or avocado on toast? 


Do you choose these foods as a snack during the day? These are all very portable foods, and very easily picked up from the supermarket or corner store as a "fast food" when you're in a bind and drive-thru fast food seems like the only option!


Or do you fit the stereotype of a Standard Australian Diet (SAD diet) that includes a piece of tomato on your sandwich at lunch and then you wait until dinner to get your first real dose of vitamins and minerals from plant foods in your meat and three veg? 


This week, be mindful of how many plant foods you are eating each day, and try to increase the volume of your intake, and especially try to start consuming them earlier in the day if dinnertime tends to be your main live food meal.


You can achieve this by having a fruit smoothie in the morning, or pan-fried vegies (in good fats) with your eggs, a banana at morning tea, or Cyndi O'Meara's favourite of dips and vegetable sticks at snack times. This is great for kids too! Check out her recipe page. 


The most fulfilling part of writing this blog is hearing your thoughts - I love to know your feedback and your stories. Please let me know how you feel about this or any of my previous posts!


Have a great day!

Focus - Are you doing what you love?

Are you living a life full of passion? When you wake up in the morning do you have a spring in your step because you are inspired to get out of bed and make the most of your day?

Or do you feel like you're only half way there?

Do you have hidden desires to develop a skill, hone a craft, grow your own vegetables, write a book, travel, or develop your career? Dig down deep and tap into the you that you really desire to be. Find out what you really want to be known for, or labelled as, or having achieved - depending on what is important to you.  I always like to read other people's obituaries, and think about how I would like my own to read - which can sound quite morbid - but it helps me to work backwards and figure out the small steps that I can take everyday towards living the life I dream of. 

I felt like I was only halfway there, and I didn't really have any interests besides reading and food! (and at that stage, singing along to the radio - this was before I went back to uni!) Then I decided to start taking steps towards living a more authentic life - that is, one that truly reflected the person that I believed I could be. When I starting acting on this, it was amazing how much less I wanted to hang in the kitchen at night time!!

Instead of watching TV which was often accompanied by eating as a hobby - I started devoting some time each night after all of the children were in bed to researching my area of interest. Whether it be surfing the net, reading a book, writing down ideas or dreaming big! It was amazing how once I started planting the seeds, they started to grow.

I created a vision board of all of the things I wanted to get eventually and especially of outfits I wanted to wear when I felt fit and healthy! It was amazing to look back at it almost two years later and discover that a long time after looking at it, I had actually accumulated almost all of it and had achieved the picture of health in those pics!

Soon the life that I wanted began to evolve - on the inside and the out! I had started actively pursuing a different road - and it feels so good! 


Of course this is an example on a larger scale. Maybe there are small tweaks that you can make to your life to include some more time to pursue your passions - open your mind and you never know where the journey will take you!

This has a huge effect on your self-esteem and creating a positive outlook, which in turn changes the way you feel about yourself, your health and what you put in your body to nurture your health.

So this week - don't forget to
1. Keep being conscious of what your body is trying to tell you,
2. Create a new ritual - that hopefully replaces a time of the day where you normally choose foods that make you feel yuk!
3. Devote some time in your week to pursue your passions


Have a great week - and enjoy your journey!

Time out Together!

Well, it doesn't happen very often, but my husband and I are going on a date night!  With three children and him away quite a bit for work, time alone together is like gold! Especially on the weekend! As you can tell from all of my exclamation marks - I'm quite excited!


Time out together is really important to get back in tune with each other - it's a great chance to talk about things besides the usual "can you pick up some milk on the way home?" type conversations that can end up forming a large part of the everyday together.


For those reading who don't have a significant other - time out with close friends or family is just as important!!  


So if you haven't got plans already this weekend - find time to satisfy your soul with some quiet time with loved ones, it can make the world of difference to the  beginning of the new week - you can start feeling happy that you've caught up with people that matter to you - fresh for the week with a positive state of mind!


Have a great weekend!


PS. Keep tuning in to your body and how you feel after eating certain things, and let me know what you've noticed, I find it interesting to hear other people's experiences!

Perfection

So - I'm really passionate about the topic of my blog - so much that I realize I can ramble on and then get embarrassed that I have prattled on for so long!


In my excitement about starting this blog, I had huge desire to do it "perfectly!" That is - write everyday - no fail. This is because I know what it's like when you follow a blog, that if the email doesn't land in your inbox one morning, you feel a little disappointed, and even cranky that they haven't posted today - especially if you rely on it for motivation!


So at this point I apologise if I've already disappointed you! 


So then I was thinking about it, and I realised that it can be difficult some days to try and figure out when to fit in doing a new post. This is very similar to when you start a new "health regime!" 


You know the feeling -  when you start, you're so excited that you want to do it so well, you want to do it perfectly!  


Inevitably a day comes when no matter how hard you try, there is no way that you could achieve "perfect" status. For example, you go to a friends house for dinner, and you there's no alternative, you have to eat the "non-compliant" food on your plate.


So, I committed to blogging because I wanted to help a friend and I thought it could be useful for others too - those that I know and those that I don't! 


However, life happens, and I have realised that while you may be struggling to find time to be kind to your body - which is a routine that I've gotten used to now and is as common in my day as brushing my teeth or any other personal hygiene routine - I'm struggling to find time to commit to being regular with my posts. 


It doesn't take long, only 10 - 20 minutes - and I feel all the better for having done it! I also LOVE getting feedback - to know that my effort was worth it, and that it helped someone - just like the buzz you get from moving your body!  


My point is - while you are trying to find your "groove" with exercising or eating things that make you feel good (for longer than a few minutes!), I'm still trying to work out what "routine" suits me!       


Hopefully I'll have adjusted soon, and it will be as easy and normal as brushing my teeth or taking a shower!


Have a great day!

The Definition of Insanity ...

I love Tuesdays - they're usually the only day truly to myself without running around (well, generally)  and so I get a lot of work done on things that are close to my heart! My passions!  So understandably, I want to maximize the time in my day!


When I come home from dropping the kids off, I like to come home to a clean kitchen with maybe a load of washing that has just finished so that all I have to do is hang it out and then I can focus on me for a bit. Or I may even skip the coming home, and instead take a "free pass" and go out and about all day doing what I need to for me (usually NOT shopping - unless it's for books!) 


However - in anticipation of the whole school day ahead of me (free of children that is!) - I tend to get a little greedy and try to cram too many of the household jobs in before school while trying to convince Mini-Master-of-the-House to get dressed, and Little Miss Princess-in-the-Middle to eat, while the Ring Leader of the pack is watching the clock and giving a running commentary on how long until we have to be out the door, while tapping her foot, and micro-managing her siblings! 


My love for that clean kitchen feeling is so great that I tend to only leave myself 10 minutes to have a shower, get dressed and - with a lick of "icing" on the face - out the door! 


Inevitably - we're late, blood-pressure is high - especially in eldest as she is concerned that she is not there early to catch up with her friends and get in a lot of chatter before the quiet of class time - and guilt factor is high - ALL because of my love for the clean kitchen! 


I say all of this because today I realized that I have been doing this school routine for 7 years now - one would think it would have dawned on me a little earlier - I do the SAME thing everyday - just one extra little job!! I promise!! - before walking out the door, and each day I continue to screech into the school grounds at the last possible minute, and promise myself that I won't do it tomorrow! 


Then the light bulb came on - it's a matter of priorities - and obviously my clean kitchen is higher on the list than getting the children to school calm, and on time - or even early! Gasp! 


My reflection brought to mind the saying "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing every day and expecting a different result!"


Clearly my priorities are around the wrong way - I definitely don't enjoy the daily adrenaline rush of being late! -  so I need to restrain myself tomorrow morning from cleaning up as I go, in the effort to get out the door faster! So it got me thinking.....




Are your priorities in order? 


I'd love to hear your stories! Don't be shy! 

Focus - Create a New Ritual

Happy Monday! I hope your week is off to a flying start!

So last week your focus was on how you feel after eating a number of different types of foods. No doubt some made you feel good, and some made you feel lousy!

While continuing to observe how you feel after eating different foods (and hopefully you've found that you naturally make different choices as a result of listening to your body rather than turning up the music and drowning out the noise in your head!) I want you to identify your weakest point in the day or week, where you tend to eat anything and everything in sight as a result of feeling stressed, anxious, run down or tired.

If you know it's a particular day (eg. Friday as you're out at sport until late after all day at work) then I want you to think about that day in advance and when you feel low in energy and why you think that is - tiredness or is it blood sugar related as you may not have eaten in the last 2-3 hours?

If it's tiredness, is there anyway that you can squeeze in some activity like a walk (nothing super high intensity - so no special clothes really required!) after school while waiting for children from various activities?

If it's blood sugar, can you make up a snack box the night before to take some of your feel-good foods in?

I often find that I get really hungry and tired around 3.30pm - 4.30pm, and I could easily curl up and go to sleep then and there. But if I have a snack, especially one that includes some protein like chicken strips, tuna or a good fat like a handful of almonds, my mind is sharp again and I'm raring to go!

Then dinner time on this kind of night is ALWAYS a killer! That's when the "stuff it - I'm going to eat whatever I want, and start again tomorrow" mindset can switch back into gear if we're not careful. So to prevent this - I have a plan.

I always plan to have Thai on Thursday night. The busiest day of my week! I love thai - and I where I used to go heavy on the rice, and not so much on the chicken, now I only order the chicken stirfy dish, and no rice - as I feel WAY better at bedtime when I don't have a gutful of gluggy rice to digest! Rice at lunch is different - but when associated with Thai - I could only ever have a mountain of it on my plate - no less!

But - my favourite ritual of all - is my nightly cup of tea after dinner. I rarely have dessert these days - if I do it's a piece of fruit - as this used to be my biggest weak spot. I could get through a day fine, but then eat a weeks worth of food after dinner! So, to give my mind a distraction from the fact that I'm choosing to eat light at night, I implemented my tea ritual.

To keep it interesting I choose different types of herbal tea - roasted dandelion blend (try the tea bags - but only with full cream milk - tastes eew without it!) is my favourite, but I've recently discovered dandelion chai from the health food shop, and a good old favourite is peppermint tea - which I almost always have if I had a heavy dinner as the peppermint aids with digestion. It's worth trying different brands of the same flavour until you find one you like.

I used to have a really pretty cup that broke, so I do need to replace that. Maybe i'll even get a nice new little pot just for the fun of it! It's just the ritual of having a cup of tea, after doing all the jobs, and I've had a shower that signals to me "aahh... it's switch off time!" which is super relaxing.
 Well, don't let this weeks task daunt you - or get too excited and try to be "perfect" every day. Just focus on those few key points in the week where you feel you could improve, and replace what you have been doing with a new ritual - like a snack box - or a chill out walk - or enjoy your nightly cup of tea!

Enjoy your journey!

Feel good fun!

Why do I always do that? I spend the week getting up early and moving my body because I love how I feel afterward, and I know it's a habit fit people have and so if I want to be fit - then I must move!   Granted I move differently now to how I used to pre-30kg+, but all the same - it's the feel-good factor that gets me now!

Come the weekend - I have a goal to do certain active things but I put it off ... almost all day. It was only 25 minutes worth of weights and jumping jacks, jump squats etc, but I felt on top of the world once I did it, once I broke a sweat I felt great!

Given the dreary drizzly weather that we've been having, I felt really cooped up. So going into my shed and turning on the party music in a child free zone really helped change my outlook, change my energy levels and made me feel good about myself. 

Tomorrow my challenge is to try and do a pilates DVD before anyone is up, but I can't guarantee anything as I'm looking after a baby nephew tonight! If not, it will be later in the day, but with today fresh in my mind, I will be more enthusiastic!


Off to chill out ... have a great night!

Nurture your soul

Yay for Friday! You've got to love the weekend!  This is the first weekend in about 5 weeks that I won't be rushing around like a mad woman, so I will be savouring the sleep-ins and lazy moments. Cooking up a batch of steaming soup in the current rainy winter-like weather that we're having sounds like a good idea too. I've been guilty of trying to pack to much into each day frequently lately, so this weekend I've got a mission: relax! (I even manage to make that sound stressful!)

What are you up to? 

Despite the madness that your weekend may hold - try to find at least 5 minutes to 30 minutes for you in each day - to find some peace and quiet for you.

Whether that be just simply a cup of tea in your favourite place (I set up a new "love nest" which is just a small table with two chairs right outside our bedroom on the back deck which is perfect for this - weather permitting!) or maybe reading your favourite escapism style novel/magazines. 

Going for a walk with a destination in mind is fun also - for example, walking to the local markets, or to your favourite cafe for a coffee - it's a great way to start the day!

Take a small amount of time to nurture your soul and it will pay HUGE dividends - you'll feel much more balanced and calm - which for a lot of us means that you're less likely to find us in the pantry!


Have a great weekend!

 

Focus – Tune into your body

I hope you had a great day .... I did, but I'm glad it's getting toward the end of the week!

So here I go. Do you feel tired of being overweight but not sure where to start? Do you shove food in regardless of whether you are hungry or not? Do you struggle with fitting into the majority of your wardrobe but can't bring yourself to the point where you HAVE to go shopping for new clothes as

1. It's expensive and
2. It's demoralizing?

When I felt like this, I knew that I had to eat better, it's just that all of the "diets" looked like rabbit food.  How was I to adapt from my beautiful filling dinners of big bowls of spaghetti bolognaise (BIG bowls!) with a side of almost one whole garlic bread, and a glass or two of red wine, followed by a mammoth serving size of dessert? (which followed my bout of "trying to be good, eat a salad sandwich for lunch and nothing else for hours!)

It's hard to make such a dramatic change, and I wouldn't recommend it - the fact that it's so foreign means that you can't sustain it, and then you end up feeling worse - and so the negative spiral downwards continues!

How about we approach it from a positive angle? From a self-love angle? Like - I'm going to start thinking about my own needs more? Like I'm going to start taking care of me more - to help me be a more positive person?  Sounds good? 

Well, my aforementioned friend is starting an experiment with me, and I actually emailed her this information on Sunday night. She was feeling down, yet inspired, so I wanted to help!

So here is the deal. I don't want you to think of any of this as you are doing it to lose weight.
 
At the moment I just want you to make observations about how you feel when you eat certain foods

• when you eat them
• immediately after
• within a few hours
• then next day (for gauging your night time meal)
• it's effect on your digestive system and whether it is slow, quick, well-formed or loose (sorry it's so graphic, but it is important info - don't worry - you don't need to tell me!)
• whether your tongue is white and claggy in the morning when you wake up, or if it is pink and free of white coating

You might find it effective to write down what you ate, and then write observations down also.
 
I want you to particularly pay attention to how you feel after eating

• white bread (or related products like rolls, pizza, burgers, pasta)
• sweet foods (cakes/biscuits/muffins/muesli bars/orange juice)
• deep fried foods (especially hot chips)
• breakfast cereals
• processed salted deli meats or from packets at supermarket (e.g. ham, chicken, prosciutto, bacon, roast beef, pastrami, kabana, hot dog sausages, any sausages)

Last but not least -

• any protein foods that don't contain sugar (eggs, chicken, beef, cottage cheese, milk, cream cheese, natural yogurt)
• salad vegetables

For example - my observations about white bread and me - my mind is initially really clear, but within 5-10 minutes, I've crashed and I feel really foggy and tired, and I have to go to the loo!
This sounds really full on, but it doesn't have to be! Just eat what you normally eat and see how you feel. Write it down if you have a tendency to forget!

See if you feel

• satisfied or bloated or empty? 
• clear or foggy mind?
• calm or hyped?

I found that I was very detached from my body and treating it as my own "pleasure machine" without listening to how my body actually received it and if it liked it or not (if you know what I mean? that is - gave a positive or negative reaction)

I found that I ate regardless of how it reacted which is pretty disrespectful to my body when you think of it - if it was our pet or our car we wouldn't give them food or fuel that their systems reject or react negatively to, as we would feel guilty and upset for them, yet we disrespect ourselves in that way without even thinking twice as food has such a HUGE emotional attachment for us!

So for now, just start listening to your body again, and start the process of tuning in to what it is trying to tell you. 


Enjoy your journey.

A rambling introduction ...

I want to tell you a little more about me before we get started so that you understand where I coming from, and that I do empathise with the feelings that you may be experiencing right now as you are reading this.



I’ve always yo-yo’d with my weight. I was always a chubby child, not overly fat, but by boarding school at 12, I had created really bad sneaky comfort eating habits that went out of control in my teens.  After an embarrassing incident in year 8, I no longer desired to continue being sporty, so this was a recipe for disaster! My year 12 formal dress now swims on me – I tried it on when visiting my Mum at Christmas – I didn’t realize that I was that big!  


Some people in my life have met me skinny, others have met me fat, anyone that meets me now are fooled into thinking that I’ve been like this my whole life – fit, toned and passionate about nutrition and exercise. 
Prior to becoming a mum, I started uni – pursuing another passion of mine – music.  While at uni for the 18 months, I worked in a bakery – a dangerous place to be with my eating habits! However, I didn’t really know what I wanted to “be when I grew up” so I deferred, as my then boyfriend (now husband) and I were going to save to go overseas. Well, it turned out we were saving for a cot! One month after deferring we found out I was pregnant!  I was definitely in shock – didn’t realise that it could happen that easily! What a surprise!



I was a young mum though not as young as some. I had my first daughter at 19, proceeded to have another at 21, lost my third baby, a beautiful boy called Joshua, at 23 due to anencephaly – a devastating condition we found at about at my 20 week scan – and then proceeded to have another baby, a healthy little boy at 25.


Throughout the trials and tribulations that everyone experiences when you have small children - you are sleep deprived, you’re struggling to find the energy to operate let alone plan wonderful meals, finding time for a shower can seem a luxury – I definitely struggled with my self esteem!


I found comfort and escape from the mundane reality (compared to all of my friends still out there partying and exploring the world) in food. As money was scarce in those days, cheap low quality fast foods (and especially chocolate biscuits or any bakery food), or pastas and ice cream were security blankets of choice.


I look back and realise that because I was so lost and unconfident, I sought out food – it gave me a routine around which to build my stay at home mum life, and as a result of my weight problem, I didn’t really have the courage to pursue interests of my own – especially at that stage – singing – where all eyes are on you!


But in October 2009, when my older two were at school and my youngest was about to turn 4, I had a lightbulb moment and I then began a process of change. I started nurturing myself and creating who I am above and beyond the role of Mum to my three children and wife to my handsome husband. (I can just imagine him cringing at my public display of affection!)  

I went back to finish of my music degree (which I will finally finish this year – yay!) and I started exploring who I really am – as I had not really had a chance to learn that when I left school.


Although some of this is hard to admit, given that I know people who know me – but not THAT well – will be reading, and that to some I always seemed like the jolly chubby/fat girl who was happy-go-lucky while disguising how down I really was - this may come as a shock. But I hope that by me sharing my story, it helps you get a better understanding of where I’m coming from and why I am so passionate about changing your self-perception. 


Tomorrow marks the start of tuning in to you.

Slimosophy - the beginning.

Slimosophy - the core beliefs required to live a fit and healthy life. A slim, healthy, vibrant and energetic body is a result of this philosophy.

This blog has been a long time in the making - in my mind and in my soul - bubbling away deep within until it became obvious what I needed to do. Lately I've had a series of events occur including meeting a couple of VERY inspirational ladies and as a result my creative energies were positively overflowing. As a consequence of reflection on these events, my new but dear friend inspired me to turn my passion to help others realise their own health and happiness into a blog. So here I am. 

Before I start, I must say - I'm nervous! I don't profess to have all the answers or to be perfect. As my profile information states - I'm not a qualified nutritionist or personal trainer, but I'm a qualified fat girl turned fit girl, so this is the basis of my knowledge that I'm sharing with you.

Before you ask - this is nothing new - there is nothing radically different I'm telling you here, no new approach to getting healthy. My aim is simply to try and help you change your self-perception and to change fat habits into fit habits, and to help you learn to listen to, nurture, and nourish your body.


I'll leave it there for now, more tomorrow.