My Coconut Chicken Curry

This recipe will totally blow the notion out of the water that I'm a gourmet cook and prepare everything from scratch.

Coconut Chicken Curry

1 kg skinless chicken breast, choppped
1 packet (yes, packet!) McCormicks Slow Cooker Mild Chicken Curry recipe base
750g white potato, chopped roughly
2 big onions, sliced roughly
250 ml coconut milk (not the fat reduced)
250 ml evaporated milk, flavoured with coconut
Coriander to garnish.

Brown onions and chicken and then throw into a slow cooker or stock pot with potatoes, recipe base, coconut milk and evaporated milk. Mix a bit. Then set slow cooker for 4-5 hours or simmer 2-3 hours on stove.

I serve this with lots of steamed veggies - green beans look really good with it.

Stats are: 300 calories, 31g protein, 9.2g fat, 27.5g carb.

Caning it and the nutrition revolution

I'm back from RPM Hi Performance and I am very pleased to say that I gave my class a thorough caning. There were a few members there that do my Saturday class and know what to expect from me and then there were some that looked at me as if I was on some sort of energy drug.

My energy drug of choice is good food! Somehow I managed to get into two conversations about nutrition, one with two of the guys who unanimously agreed that most women don't push themselves hard enough during RPM because they're not fueled enought to really go for it. I think for many women, this is right on the money.

The second conversation post class was with a group of women - I mentioned that I had to get home right away and have dinner. I was telling them that I was happy that I'd made a curry to eat before I had left to go to class.
They asked me, "what sort of curry"
- and I said "coconut chicken curry" with heaps of veggies -
the first response was not "yum", but "uh, did you make that with coconut milk/cream",
to which I said , "go the coconut milk!"

I then caught up with two of the same women in the changerooms who said "so you actually do eat then?"
They weren't being sarcastic, rather they were amazed at the thought of me not only eating, but eating a curry with coconut milk.

I then explained to them that if they were to perform at the highest level in class (or chosen sport), then they needed to eat to fuel their workouts! Then they said "but you're not fat!". I said gently that I did watch what I ate, but not in the sense of extreme caloric restriction - the focus on good nutrition and a treat meal every now and again.

So it's time to create a nutrition revolution for women - one where we enjoy eating well and choosing meals that deliver optimum nutrition, yet not being so uptight about it that we don't enjoy a nutritionally devoid treat every now and again.

So who's in?

Runnin' Wild and Free

I'm recovering from a big weekend of launches - 3 RPM and 1 Bodystep class. The title of my post today reflects Track 5, "Running Wild and Free" by a group called Airbourne. It's a really meaty thumper of a track and the noise that an entire room full of RPMers can make during it is really something else - did anyone say "hey,hey,hey!". My favourite track of Bodystep this round was the Party Track - "Get Me Bodied" by Stardancer2 which was great fun.

Yesterday happened to be an unscheduled rest day due to Miss G being unwell. Luckily she is firing on all cylinders this morning and so am I - lucky really as I am subbing a Hi Performance class this afternoon, so I had better have my game face on!

Appropriate recovery is just as important as good training - the down time yesterday did me good, even though genetically my recovery is superb. Gotta look after my little "ability".

For Sale

I have two books I am selling in my attempts to stay decluttered. One is my copy of "Adventures of Dietgirl" - a fantastic read from fellow blogger Miss Shauna. I am also selling a copy of New Rules of Lifting for Women for a friend (I'll be in my grave before you can peel my copy away from me!)

Dietgirl.......$12.00 plus postage (as new)

New Rules of Lifting $40 ONO.

Contact me via my website...www.thefitnesssolution.com.au if you're interested.

Launch Mania

Tomorrow I am launching RPM 38 at my home club (Fitness First @Indro) - and we are having a "Back to School" theme. I'm really looking forward to it - all of the instructors dress up in crazy outfits and we team teach - I am teaching with Leesa tomorrow and launching Bodystep on Sunday with Rachelle.

I spent the day practising Step with Rachelle and Wanda and did a one hour rolling intervals run and 20 minutes on the elliptical. The downside of being such a cardio queen today is that I've been absolutely starving! Bugger!

Hope everyone has a great weekend :)

Bootcamp!

Firstly, thank you all who left encouraging messages whilst I've been feeling a bit "yuck". Today was so busy however that I didn't have time to feel icky.

I got to the gym at 8am and immediately got stuck into learning my Step Choreo for an hour before going off to teach "RPM tech", which is a half hour introductory class and then RPM at 9.30am. After morning tea, it was back to learn more Step choreo and slam down a quick snack. At 1.30pm I took students from a local high school for a Step class. My goal had been to go through the new Step release and get a bit of much needed practice. However when I saw a gaggle of 20 hormonally charged 16 year old boys and maybe 8 girls, I had to change plans mid workout. There were a couple of boys that were really rude and started playing up, so after Track 2, I decided to ditch the step and go into Bootcamp mode.

I don't have boys, but I feel like a lot of the playing up was due to them being 16 and needing to release a bit of energy. I was also getting a little irritated by them, so I gave them a good thrashing. Plyo jumps, squat thrusts, plyo push ups, depth jumps, suicide runs (yes, Kek, suicide runs!) - I ran every interval and jumped every jump with them - and when they moaned that they were feeling tired, I gave them a bit more of the drill sergeant treatment and barked "that's no excuse, I'm old enough to be your mother!" After a challenging plank session, they'd really changed their tune and I spent the rest of the afternoon rather amused at the those of making almost grown men cry! Actually I think they secretly rather enjoyed themselves.....

I've also just received the fantastic news that we came 18th out of 72 mixed teams in the Adventure Race. We could have placed as high as 16th as our point scores were the same, but the teams in front of us got home 2 minutes earlier..bummer! Almost in the top 20% for our first effort together...what a thrill!

Stress

I'm not feeling my usual chipper self. I'm in the middle of learning lots of choreography, which I find hard to fit in between the demands of kids and business etc. It doesn't help that one of my biggest weaknesses is procrastination. Once I got that Bodystep DVD out and the choreo notes, I felt a lot better.

But to be honest, I'm feeling a little flat and allowing external events that are a little stressful to come inside and dig in for a nice game of bridge. However, I know the key is to look through the lens from a different angle and see things differently - if you interpret something differently, then most importantly the feelings are different.

On the plus side, I did a whole lot of admin this morning and am caught up. Take that Miss Procrastinator~

Training today: practice Bodystep

News of Monday

This is going to be a pretty basic post today. I taught RPM and had quite a good turnout for a Monday morning which was great. I also tackled upper body training. Tomorrow's workout will involve looking at my new Bodystep Choreo.

Biggest high of the day: seeing all the comp prep girls doing well with their training and eating. For those who are competing, seeing the results of months of hard work is so much fun.

Biggest low of the day: leaving my lunchbox on the bus today :) What an idiot :)

Adventure Racing and finding the lucky socks

Last night I participated in my first Adventure Race with Rose and Kev (on the left side of the photo, I am on the right). We had a ball running around Brisbane in our little Kermit shirts. This is what the race was about (from Area 51 Website):

"Round 1- One Night in Vegas
Date and Location
Fri 15 Feb 08 - Brisbane CBD, HQ at south bank, further info emailed & posted on web 5 days before the race. all urban.Teams turn up at 6pm as registration opens, you receive your race packs containing all your maps and information and some other goodies. You have some planning time to work out a route and after a race brief the hooter goes off at 7pm! prior to the race all teams will be emailed information about the event...
Length and Timings
Race length 3 hours (and five minutes) - registration opens 6pm, race start 7pm, race finish 10:05pm.
Disciplines and Style
Trek, Public transport (NO mountain bike) and many urban challenges- rogaine style, get as many CPs in any order you choose then be back at HQ before 3 hrs is up. urban challenges play a big part.... the harder the challenge, the more points you get!
WHY?
ONE OF THE MORE MEMORABLE ADVENTURE RACES YOU WILL EVER DO!! GET A TASTE OF THE BIG SMOKE AND THE CITY LIGHTS ON A BALMY SUMMER EVENING. iT ISN'T A RACE SO MUCH ABOUT FITNESS, BUT EXPERIENCING ALL THE CITY HAS TO OFFER. after the race teams pop into the Plough Inn next door for a celebratory drink! Never done anything like this before? All you need to be able to do is get a team of 3 people together, be able to read a street directory and know how to have some fun"

We got our race pack just after 6pm and spent the next half hour or so contacting our map (so it wouldn't fall apart) and working out a route that would enable us to get the most check points (CPs) in the three hours we had available to us. At 7pm we were off and Rose, Kev and I hurtled over the Grey Street Bridge and found our first Checkpoint in the Queen Street Mall, then it was onto the Gap Cycle's Eating Challenge in the middle of the mall where we had to eat foods related to bike parts. I don't know where wasabi peas come into the equation, but I skulled three of them, not realizing how hot they were. Rose and Kev fought over the WeetBix and I finished off with a good chaser, nearly a tablespoon of vegemite. We then decided to take a quick dash for a checkpoint at Central Station and then back tracked for an Internet Cafe challenge.

That done, it was back to the station to try and get a train to Brunswick Street. Silly me who was really quite enjoying the whole adventure got us on the wrong train and we went Express to Bowen Hills (aaagh). So it was lucky we could get back to Central relatively quickly and run towards The Valley where there were four checkpoints to pick up.

The first involved fishing around in a rather nasty looking broth of "pond water" for a plastic spider which we nailed rather quickly, then it was off to Chinatown's rotunda for the second CP. Our third Valley CP involved a memory game where we had to memorize a card sequence which Rose and I forgot immediately :) We eventually knuckled down and got it done before heading to Brunswick Street Station to pick up the fourth CP.

We then had to decide what option to take then as our plan to train it to Toowong was thwarted by a patchy timetable at best. Here we decided to train it to Roma Street and run past Suncorp Stadium to Milton Station, pick up CPs at Savoire Faire and Milton Station, before taking the BONUS point challenge of Ten Pin Bowling at Milton Bowl. Whilst we were making that decision we came across another team involved in a Scavenger Hunt. We quickly worked out that it was part of a checkpoint we had purposely avoided at the beginning of the race. Luckily the team we met was happy to tell us that we needed to collect a red napkin, straw, current day's newspaper, beer coaster, business card and a movie ticket from today. I immediately asked someone on the platform for their business card, we were gifted a coaster and a newspaper and we found the straw and our napkin on the way to Milton.

We made the train back to Roma Street and connected with a train back to Southbank. We picked up another 2 CPS in South Brisbane and then were extremely fortunate to pick up our final Scavenger checkpoint item from a fellow who was leaving the Southbank Cinema Complet. Then we completed a 100 point "Maritime Challenge" at the Maritime Museum which was a bit finicky. We then sprinted more than half way over the Goodwill Bridge and picked up our last CP before Race Close.

How could I also forget to mention that I had to strap an orange helium balloon to my pack and carry it for the whole race to earn bonus points? Rose was fantastic at ensuring that I didn't run under any low branches as I kept forgetting that I had the balloon.

We finished the Challenge at 10pm, handed in our Points Card and will get the results in a few days.

We went home feeling pretty fatigued - I was trying to momentarily forget that I had to teach RPM Hi Performance at 8.10am this morning. I was so pleased to see Rose turn up to do the class - a kindred spirit who just "knew" what I was going through up there. I must admit I had a few very cautious dial turns up there this morning but I managed to pull through. I even found a pair of Shimano socks that I originally purchased with my cycling shoes which I call my "lucky socks " - I seem to have taught several decent classes with these socks, so I kept the legend alive and decided to wear them.

Miss S had come to RPM and shouted me a post workout "Surge". I think I could literally feel my body vacuuming it up this morning~!

There is another race coming up soon that hopefully we'll be able to participate in but for now, I'm just going to bask in the enjoyment of this one - it was great to work as a team, it was great that I was able to run around Brisbane without any ill effects and I'm so relieved I managed to do a half decent job with RPM this morning.

Now it is time for a nana nap :)

Racking more than my weights!

Since considering having my girls cheered up, I've spent a lot of time looking at magazines, other people's chests etc for some ideas of what I'd like them to look like when I'm done. Obviously not like the example above, though you could definitely knock yourself out with these whilst you're out running.

My goal is to remain looking athletic, but just a little bit curvier - though hubby suggested going 'a little larger'. Just what I expected a man to say, lol.

Woke up this morning to some pretty intense DOMS. With big compound moves like deadlifts and squats where you recruit not only prime movers but accessory muscles, it's a pretty normal phenomenon. My love affair with deadlifts has not only improved my glutes and my hamstrings (which are my weakest link) but also my back muscles.

Many women avoid lifting big weights for the fear of getting "too big". If I focus more on my quads, I certainly do look bigger. However most women by virtue of our anatomy have a less than satisfactory posterior chain - so it makes sense to work it hard - it also has a corrective effect. I'm getting bigger right where I need it - in the glute area. I'm nowhere near a Beyonce bubble but it's really nice to feel some muscle there finally!

Scale Question and Answer Time

A few posts ago I talked about not letting the scale do one's head in. I received a few emails about it and I want to share the email and my response.

Here it is:

"Just read your blog re: scales, Would LOVE your opinion on my thoughts below - here goes..
I am very anti scales.....given that there are so many reasons for variation, why should we weigh ourselves when it isnt a true indication...I TOTALLY understand that we have the control over how we interpret the number on the scales. I just think that too many of us freak about the number and become obsessive about being a particular number or losing so many kg's - a number! If we train hard and eat well and look good, why weigh? I know it's one of many tools to check progress (especially when preparing for comp etc) but when you weigh in daily and see the numbers fluctuate, i think it does more damage than good......I havent weighed myself since my last comp - i just knew that i would of been in a deep depression (post comp) knowing that i wouldnt be able to hold the scales at a weight i would be happy with...it's bad enough that the size 8's have to be put away until next comp.....gosh - i am sounding so mental right now - but do you get what i mean ???"

My answer:

I want to "challenge" you on a few points and see where the
cards fall, OK :)
1) Your weight, combined with other measurements is a TRUE indication
of where you're at. Alone, it ISN'T (due to normal natural
> fluctuations). You can't outrun a crap diet (as we all know,myself included).
> 2) If we have total control over how we interpret the number, then why
> would it do more damage than good to see a fluctuating scale, whether
> it be up or down?
>
> 3) Re deep depression about the scale: the scale is what it is, the
> scale has no emotion and could care less about what you think, so why
> give it the credence of basing your self worth on a number? This is
> where society has instilled in people a toxic relationship with scale weight and self worth.
> If you're fat, you're "undisciplined" and if you're "skinny" then
> you're good. You're worthwhile BECAUSE YOU EXIST, THIS IS NOT BASED
> ON YOUR BODY SIZE :)
>
> 4) I think worrying about clothing sizes is crazier than worrying
> about the scale, especially with vanity sizing and all. Personally at
> my current weight which is 6kg over competition weight I have items
> that are XS, 8, 10, 12, M and L.
> Depending on whether you do physique or figure, a healthy off season
> weight is anywhere from 5-7kg over comp weight.

I had a charming weight to report this morning - back in the 61s with the advent of TOM and the associated fluid retention that goes with it - I even thought I looked like a bit of a puff ball in the mirror, but I'm looking forward to the exit of this fluid in good time.

Had a great training session today: 60/60 intervals at 4:30 min k/6 min k pace for 10 cycles, Heavy Leg training. I was really focusing and let out the odd grunt today - there's a big deadlift monster lurking at Fitness First! Then I finished off with 20 minutes of steady state running. Apart from being a bit of a puff ball today, I'm feeling very strong :)

My other snafu today was forgetting my bra and undies to change into after my workout. A perfect excuse to go to Lorna Jane, which is next door to the gym. I decided to buy a padded workout bra with the idea of seeing what the old chest would look like with a little more plumage. Of course as soon as I put it on, I felt like I was one massive mono boob but when I looked in the mirror there really wasn't much difference at all! I have a bit of fear about being too big but somehow I don't think that will be an issue.

Kicking it Loud

I had an awesome workout yesterday - I taught RPM Hi Performance and totally thrashed it. I had thought after last week's effort that I wasn't going to raise the bar any higher for awhile, but yersterday proved me wrong again. I know I've been on about this for a long time in my blog, but the power of your mind is an amazing tool! You see, I was expecting the arrival of my good monthly mate and was feeling a bit low, but before the class I listened to my music and visualised a good teaching effort and good performance, which is exactly what happened. I don't think there's a better feeling exercise wise - the endorphins you receive after giving something your best shot.

I left on Cloud Nine and had morning tea with Miss S - our RPM meet ups on Saturday mornings have become a regular thing and so much fun to share the RPM love with someone who is just as keen for a thorough pasting as I am.

Today has been pretty low energy - I've been fending off the monthly attack with some super duper Naprogesics and planning for a great week ahead.

Going for Goals

Many motivational speakers talk about how important it is to be focused on the task in front of you. If you're an athlete, this becomes very important if you're preparing for an event or competition. I find myself very focused on my training to the point that I let the housework slide, which I think is perfectly fine. You can't be 100% at everything if you are truly to be 100%.

However today I had to take a housecleaning break. I cleaned our place from stem to stern and everything is now nice and organized.

I booked my second consultation with the surgeon and it doesn't look like I will be able to have the surgery until late May, which is perfectly fine - I've been in contemplation mode for a long time, so waiting a few months is no problem. In the meantime I'm going to keep enjoying my training. Next Friday is the first Adventure Race - it's called "One Night in Vegas" which I'm looking forward to immensely.

feeling my way through big decisions

It's been a few days since I blogged - I've had quite a few issues of a more personal nature to deal with - all is good though and I'm going to talk about one of them right now.

As many of you know, I have been considering having an abdominoplasty for a long time (several years!) and that one of my goals in becoming a Figure Competitor way back when was to see how far I could take my abs without surgery. I am very proud of what I've achieved but could not get rid of the loose skin no matter how hard I tried. Coupled with that I actually had a very funny looking "hole" close to my belly button. My GP suggested I have an abdominoplasty over a year ago, but I wanted to spend 2007 maintaining a stable weight and feeling good about myself. At my last annual check up we discussed it again and I agreed to get a couple of referrals to Plastic Surgeons for muscle repair and removal of the loose skin.

I had my first appointment with a surgeon on Monday morning. I was extremely nervous and self conscious and must have made at least three nervous visits to the bathroom as he was running an hour behind schedule. However the reason for his lateness it seems is the amount of time he spends explaining the surgery to his patients - my consult went for a solid hour. Initially he examined my skin and thought that I could opt for partial repair and then I lay down and he felt my diastasis - it is 10cm wide in places running from my sternum to pubic bone! No wonder I've been having trouble holding my tummy in! He then suggested a full abdominoplasty and showed me exactly what would happen and his unique approach to scar and swelling management. He wasn't confident that it would help my SIJ issues.

Then I don't know what came over me because I then asked him to have a look at my breasts - I didn't want big breasts but was it possible to lift what I had? His answer was that I hadn't really drooped but rather had shrunk and suggested small implants to take me from an saggy A cup to a B cup. He suggested I try on the recommended post surgery bra in the size I wanted. I chose a 12 B (I was a B/C before kids) and was horrifed to see that there was no way I could "fill" this bra. I don't understand why I've been so oblivious to my chest as I haven't worn a proper bra for the last few years, rather using those wonderful Bonds crop top/comp prep bras.

The worst part is that I'll probably have to take six months off training, though the surgeon said I should be back full throttle within about 12 months.

I've spent the better part of the last few days agonizing over this decision - questioning myself - "am I being too vain", "should this be of importance to you?", "is the down time worth it?" , "what if I have complications" etc etc.

Anyway I think I'm going to do it - wish me luck.

Training today:
Heavy legs
Deadlifts
Barbell Front Lunge
Pull Throughs
Single RDLs
Glute Ham raise (oooh aaah)

Run: 60 /60 intervals 20 minutes, 20 minutes steady state

Thank you to Deb!

Alas I am not the header creator, I have Deb (Splice) to thank for that!

Thanks Deb, it gives me so much pleasure looking at a custom template~

Strength and Power!

I have no idea who the model is but she looks as if she may kick some endurance athlete butt!

I've had a great day.

Taught RPM Hi Performance and had Alicia and Miss S in class going for broke. Had one of those "zen" classes where I just felt powerful, strong and up to dishing out any challenge.
Miss S and I then had post workout Biotest Surge. We had it mixed in about 3 glasses of water which I thought would give it a diluted taste, but it was just superb. I'm officially in love with Biotest Surge - I am off to the Biotest site to place my order!

We then went to the LesMills quarterly workshops and did the newest RPM (38). Didn't work all that hard - I must admit I was a bit shattered after Hi Performance and I have DOMS from all of my strength training all week. As Miss S would tell you, the only muscles that are working pain free right now are in my jaw :) We sat in the steam room after class for a little while and it was an awesome feeling to come out feeling so loose and limber!.

Did the post Valley black Poison drinkies (that's Diet Coke and Pepsi Max), had our Crunchola Recovery Meals and then went our separate ways.

This afternoon I've just been hanging out around the house and cruising.

Having a splurge icecream tonight and a bit of chocolate. Yummy yum~

Weight: 60.4kg

Why the scales shouldn't do one's head in

I hear this quite a bit from my clients - "aaah, I don't want to weigh myself, the scale does my head in". If you step back and re read this statement, can you see how nuts this statement is?

We have 100% control of what we think, say and feel and we have 100% control over how we are going to react to that number. A highly disproportionate amount of time is spent analyzing scale weight over other measures of progress - the thing is, that scale weight is a very useful measure, but it is just ONE item in the toolbox of things that we measure "progress" by.

I try to weigh myself daily if possible. If you are fully committed to your progress and are eating well and training hard, then you have nothing to fear the scale. Fear the scale only if stepping off it gives you the excuse to indulge in crap "because noone's looking".

Even if you're training hard and eating well the scale can be quite variable.

Reasons for variation include:
a) menstrual cycle changes
b) DOMS - lots of DOMS produces a lot of fluid as a by product of recovery, sending your scale weight higher than usual.
c) salty food - you retain fluid if diet is very salty
d) high carbohydrate intake. When you eat carbohydrate and it is digested, much of it is stored in our muscles and liver as glycogen. Glycogen provides us with ready to go fuel when we exercise. For every gram of carb that is stored, 3 grams of water are stored with it. "Carb bloat" is not a figment of your imagination.

Yesterday's eating and training was classic - I have severe DOMS, I ate a lot of carb yesterday dipped in soy sauce (salty) - you gotta love Sushi Rolls! These sorts of uncharacteristic eating days can give me a 2-3kg increase in scale weight. But knowing why variations occur is essential for me in brushing it off and drinking plenty of water!

Training Today:
Upper Body Strength training, including mobilization and preparation
Elliptical: 30 minutes steady state (harder than it sounds); Rower: warm up + 5 Tabata Intervals (ouch), Heavy Stationary Bike 5 minutes)