Wednesday, November 29, 2006

IDEAL BODIES ONLINE



I am very pleased to have joined the Ideal Bodies Online Team! I'm looking forward to helping motivate and encourage lots of people to achieve their goals with IBO.

For those of you who know Sue, you already know what a sensational lady she is. And I'm not just saying that to suck up to the boss ; )

This morning I joined in with the local Beach Blitz group. A local PT studio runs sessions 3 times a week down the beach at 6am in the morning. It was certainly different doing my morning session as part of a group. When I got home I took the boy out for his walk. Poor baby was beside himself when I left without him this morning.

Our fridge and freezer are almost bare. I have been trying use up all the stores before Gerard goes away so I can live on my bare essentials only! The only items in the freezer are a piece of fish and the wedding cake! Can you believe I never even got to taste a piece of our wedding cake. We shall defrost that one our 1st anniversary and pig out : )

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Rising Temperatures


Not only did I pat tigers but we also rode elephants! This was just fabulous. I was so looking forward to seeing the tigers and they turned out to be a huge disappointment. I only got to spend 5 minutes patting them and then we were moved on. Well I wanted to sit and cuddle them like I do to the "Coolum Lion" AKA my dog : ) I had absolutely no expectations about the elephants and they turned out to be unbelievable. Such beautiful creatures. Gerard bathed with them in the river. He sat on it's head and it went under the water and came up and did a big spurt of water! Me being the princess I am didn't want to have wet shorts ; ) How uncomfortable.... and you should see the size of their poos! They are HEUWG!

It is really heating up in sunny Queensland. I will have to ensure I take Arnie out very early for his trot/sniff/walks. We went out about 7.15am today and he was huffing and puffing poor little bugger. I took him on a shady route but it was still too hot. After I dropped him off and went for my own jog I went the same shady route!

Last night was chest and triceps at the gym. My least favourite workout. Tonight is legs and I have that feeling of dreaded anticipation. I know it's going to hurt but I know it will be a pleasurable pain. Sick hey?! I'm sure all the gym junkies know what I mean. DOMS is starting to set in from last night.

Monday, November 27, 2006

Life is Short





This tiger was a bit fiesty! It scared me....wouldn't you be with those fangs?!!!









The photo on the left was the view across the pool and ocean as we sunbaked!!!

The top photo is the newly weds on one of our many nights out to dinner. This night we had been at the resort for about 4 days and had overconsumed so much food we only at protein at this meal. I felt so much better for it the next day.

Well I got a big shock last week when my brother had a stroke. He is only 39 years of age. So young. I spun out and automatically thought the worse after Gerards brother lost a battle with a brain tumor 2 years ago. So I spent lots of time reflecting on life over the weekend.

We set up our new home office on the weekend. It was good fun fumbling through that together with Gerard. Neither of us a very IT savvy. So we spent lots of time surfing the net over the weekend. I did a cardio stair session down the beach Saturday. The family (gerard, arnie and I!) walked down to the beach and the boys played on the sand while I ran up and down 103 stairs. My calves are sooooo sore. Yesterday I went for a hill run in the afternoon followed by a walk with Arnie.

I also bought my bridesmaid dress over the weekend. The wedding is cocktail style so the dress is definitely rewareable, which is great. We washed the cars together yesterday. I cooked a nice dinner on Saturday night. We had oysters for an entree and for main couscous with sundried tomatoe and prawns topped with pork cutlet. I found the most delicious dessert. Weis have a macadamia, mango and cream combo which is UNBELIEVABLE. Luckily they only come in 1 litre tubs ; )

So back to work today and it seriously sucks. Oh, something else, I received a call last week to advise I had been selected for a business scholarship! Yippee, can't wait to start studying that.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

FOR MICHELLE : )


Finally! I have managed to get a picture posted of me with the tigers in Thailand : ) Just for you Michelle! So I shall continue to entertain you with pics from the honeymoon - which now feels like soooo long ago. Speaking of - I am seriously enjoying being a Mrs. I have most I my cards reissued in my married name now, discovering a few things still to be changed as I receive mail.

I had a funny incident this morning whilst I was out running. I was trotting along and a cute car drove past. I was googling at this sporty little convertible and tripped over somebodies stupid sprinkler system. So there I was ass up in the air, face flat, covered in dirt. I was a bit embarrassed and just turned over and sat on my bum and pretended I was waiting for something! What a loser.

My lats are sore sore sore today. DOMS setting in from Monday. I am having a rest night from the gym tonight. Officeworx called this morning and advised my equipment will be in tomorrow. Yippee! I'll be all technologied and not know how to use it : )

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Busy Life

I really am poor at keeping my blogging up to date. It will be much easier once I have my new laptop at home : ) Speaking of, i am getting screwed around with the wait for that, plus my new office equipment. Bought a combo fax, scanner, copier so I will be messing around playing with that by the weekend - I hope!

I did some "market research" today. I went for a PT session at a studio. I really enjoyed it. I haven't done leg press for years and I pressed 200kgs much to my surprise. It even crossed my mind to keep seeing this trainer, I really enjoyed her. I am in the process of looking at studios to check out their setup and size etc for my own plans. I also have another idea to incorporate with the studio but will wait till things come to fruition before I babble about them!

I was thinking of the Olympia competitors on the weekend. I would have loved to have been there. No updates on the website yesterday but need to check after this to see. Am keen to see how everybody went! I have made a definite decision to compete in the WFF Southern Hemisphere comp on May 27 2007 at the Gold Coast. I have had such a fantastic week with my nutrition. The weekend was all on plan. I did a long moderate paced run both mornings plus walked my boy. Went to the gym on Saturday for shoulder workout. Monday night gym for back and biceps, plus todays session. I did boxing for the first time today. That was interesting. The instructor is a boxer and will be having her first fight in the new year. She is such a pretty young thing too, I hope she doesn't get her nose flattened!

The house hasn't sold yet : ( Would love for it to go by christmas! What a great present that would be. Gerard has changed gyms. He has joined Beach House Fitness at Maroochydore. He is really enjoying the change. Beach House's are popping up all over the place up here.

I had a state conference last week from Tuesday - Thursday. These events are huge pi## ups for everybody but I took the bolt both nights and went and visited Shalayne. I slept there the second night too as my room mate was a snorer! She had warned me and I took a pair of ear plugs which I had to put in at 2am, but I couldn't get used to having them in my ears.

Not much else happening for now, I have a headache so need to take some panadol.

Thursday, November 09, 2006

All To Plan


This is the only pic of I have my boy at work, he's about a year old here, must get some new ones.

Well I had a poiyfect nutrition day yesterday. How empowering does it feel when you stick to a plan perfectly?! It is for me, particularly when my nutrition is always the most challenging aspect for me. Training – well that’s just easy because I love being fit and active!

I was up nice and early this morning. Took Arnie for a 25minute jog/sniff, dropped him off and off I went on my own for a hill interval session. I can jog for ages at a moderate pace and look forward to doing so but those interval sessions fill me with a bit of dread! But, I went hard, sweated and puffed and it was all over in 17 minutes. Now that’s the part I really enjoy : ) Short and intense.

Tonight after work I am gyming. I just got off the phone with hubby and he was lecturing me. He had been looking at pics of the figure Olympia girls and is preaching shoulders, shoulders, shoulder, lean, lean, lean at me. Yes dear, yes dear, I hear you. Mind you I had to add I think there is possibly a slight chemical advantage for those girls but I get your point!

I managed to get to the Transport Department yesterday and changed my name on my license! We had a call from the real estate who wanted to show through a client so I had to go home early to get puppy off the back deck. He is likely to scare the buggery out of any potential purchaser. I took him up to the lookout so we had some shelter as a storm was approaching. Well it was a cracker! We sat there together and he experienced his first hail storm! He was spinning out at the sound of the hail on the tin roof and when the ground started getting drenched we both climbed up and sat on top of the picnic table. I was imaging the shelter getting hit by lightening and the 2 of us being frazzled with nobody around to rescue us!

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

The Power of Being Organised

I had a very productive evening last night. Although it was such an effort I felt so in control after I had finished! I cooked and portioned lots of food to ensure I’m all organised for the start of my “challenge”. My freezer is now chocka block with portions of rice, chicken, beef, veges and hubby’s lunches for the next week!
Hubby was on a boys night out. They went to the U2 concert. I am so not into crowds so I was rather relieved he wanted to go with the boys.

We have been eating some new concoctions for our breakfast for the last couple of weeks. I seriously love mine! Can’t say the same about G’s though.

He is having: 1 large cup scoop of oats, 1 scoop of WPI, 4 egg whites, drizzle of honey, splash of milk and a handful of ice all blended up. The thought of eating raw egg whites makes me shudder.

I am having: ½ cup oats (traditional oats raw), a handful of almonds (roughly smashed in my mortar then thrown in with the oats), 1 serve of WPI mixed with ice cold water then poured over my “cereal”. It is so yummy. I don’t know why I haven’t eaten my oats raw sooner.

I was up at 5.30am this morning. Took Arnie for a very short 15 minute walk and sniff, then headed out for a 45 minute jog on my own. It was quite warm this morning, even at that time.

I have finally received another copy of our marriage certificate with my name spelt correctly. Yippee! So today I will be spending some time trekking about to places to update my name : ) Other tasks on my to do list include getting my nails done, going to office works to pick up some supplies and off to college tonight from 6-9. Oh and I guess I’d better do some actual work in amongst all that too!

Tuesday, November 07, 2006

Go You Good Thing!

Firstly, I tried to download the tiger pics for you Michelle but they wouldn’t work!

It seems like aaaggggees since I have been here. What have I been up to?!

I’ve met Zachary William Pyle! I met him when he was only 1 day old! Such a little innocent being. Rachel was unbelievably relaxed in her motherhood role. She is a natural. It is just meant to be for some people I believe. As for me………I’ve extended my decision until 40 – was originally 35 but that is only months away and I am definitely not ready or willing at the moment!

Speaking of babies – my bestfriend (who was my bridesmaid) is pregnant again! She only gave birth 3 weeks before our wedding. She is a breeding machine. So the date of her wedding has been bought forward to mid December now. I’m going to be a bridesmaid again : )

My hubby and I trekked down to Melbourne to watch the Nationals. We had the pleasure of spending the day sitting with the lovely Sue Heintze and Ali. I had met Ali briefly previously but it was great to get to know her. We all had a great time and I consumed A LOT of coffee that day! Also had a chance to see Liz, Katie, Lia, Sam and meet Kristy and J-L.

The quality of the competitors was just outstanding. My favourite of the day was Sally Milne. OMG, she has an awesome body. If I had competed I would have been in her class! Quite a major wake up call if I do say so. It was really interesting to see the differences in physiques of the competitors who I also saw at the July show. Some had deteriorated significantly, whilst there were several people who were markedly improved. It is amazing how long term dieting affects people differently. I felt very comfortable with my decision not to compete following the wedding. Watching the comp certainly relit my desire to compete again. I am very pleased that it will be a little over a year from my last comp by the time I step on stage again. After competing in April O5, October 05 x 2 and April 06, I was feeling a little burnt out.

So my comp plans at this stage are to do a Qld show in May and possibly the All Womens Show in July. There has been a bit a shake up in the federations in Qld. It is my understanding the president of INBA is no longer, so Im not sure what will be happening with Qld INBA shows. I am considering another federation, perhaps WFF which run in conjunction with the NABBA shows. I must do some research and make a decision. Otherwise, July in Melbourne it will be!

So given all that, I have been training like a maniac! Absolutely caning my abs. I was only 4 plates off cable crunching the entire stack of weights last week! I was excited by that, grunting and groaning away in my own little world : ) Today I have chest and triceps. My workouts have been longer. I am now training for a full hour – with no talking : ) I am quite antisocial at the gym. Although not good for business it is good for working out : ) I am also back into my running. I so enjoy running, it makes me feel great.

So that is training and comp world. Now to the rest of my life – we had an open house on the weekend. We are having another one this weekend. We have had lots of positive feedback about the house and presentation but these people don’t count because they don’t have enough money!

I have been doing lots of research for my business set-up. I’m dreaming of not working for the government any longer. I actually don’t enjoy coming to work anymore. I used to really enjoy my job but it officially sucks now. I feel down when I come in to this environment so it is seriously not good.

I have started working with a lady who I met at the QLD ANB show. She wants to compete in physique category. She has some unbelievable muscle on her. When she leans down she is going to look awesome. So we are tackling her prep in 2 stages with Stage 1 leading up to Christmas before Stage 2 kicks in.

I was just looking at a website www.fitnessexpo.com.au I think I’ll go down to the Brisbane expo for a looksy.

I am starting a 12 week challenge from tomorrow. I always wait until a Monday to start my dieting but I am doing lots of things different now! One of my strategies to help me overcome my challenges. So I will be posting info about my progression with this from here on.

Well it’s Melbourne Cup day today (can’t believe only Victoria gets the holiday!). The social club is putting on a lunch and I am the judge for the hat competition. So it will be interesting to see some of the hats. The rule was that the hat had to be made out of items from the office! So the stores cupboard has been suitably raided!

So till next time – Go You Good Thing!