Please Welcome Irene!

Before I sign off, I'd like to introduce everyone to Irene - we have been working together for a little while now and I'd love you all to visit her and as I say "welcome her to the pack, Jack!".

Her blogging home is www.irenenesci.blogspot.com

Out and About

I have decided to take a slightly different tack and do a bit more incidental exercise. I was amazed to find that after my afternoon with Amanda which included a kilometre walk and several stairs to find the new bus stop location, that I was moving so much more freely the next day.

With this thought firmly in my mind, I decided to go to Indooroopilly and do my banking and go to Medicare etc. It felt so good to be out of the house. I visited everyone at Fitness First and then had morning tea with Anne (well, rather she had morning tea, because I had forgotten my apple) and then I bumped into my mother. I was very pleased to shout her lunch at Sumo Salad as a small thank you for the help she has been giving me collecting my mail and buying my groceries. We then had a walk around the shopping centre where to my delight, Medibank Private paid out much more of my hospital claim than I had anticipated, so flushed with cash I bought this fantastic breakfast chiller bowl from Storage Space. The brand is called Fit Fresh and comes from the USA. I also bought a lunchbox thinking that it would come in handy down the track when I'm working. It looks like I am going to be doing some one on one PT at Fitness First - I'm finally at the stage where I need somewhere for people to come and physically train with me if they need to and I figured that because I know so many people at the gym, it's will be handy for me in attracting some one on one clientele to fill in the gaps.

Today I woke up at my least swollen yet and least restricted movement wise, so I decided to do some more wandering around and picked up some Sydney Breakfast Tea from T2. My whole abdominal region is feeling a bit tight tonight, so tomorrow will be a rest day at home. Maybe this is the beginning of my training comeback! Me mentioning a rest day..very exciting indeed. I must say it was very exciting to be feeling so much better today.

Back to reality!

Back to reality after another amazing weekend of competition and catching up with lots of different people.

I forgot to mention that I had the opportunity to meet Amanda, who is a friend of Kek's and now a client on the weekend. We had Japanese in the Queen Street Mall which was great and had a good chat about blogging and biking and all things fitness on Saturday. I must apologize for being a bit of a poor date, because all of the moving around left me quite exhausted. I had been lucky enough to poke my head in at Fitness First and see John and Wanda and the excitement of the launches going on must have had a bit of an effect.

On Sunday I got to catch up with Debs at the WNBF show - Deb is looking great and I reckon she's got the best looking "girls" on the Gold Coast. The WNBF show was very friendly and the backstage assistance was fantastic.

Today, it's back into the swing of work and trying to get a little bit better everyday - I have improved markedly but have a long way to go still. I've been really bothered by swelling and hoping that at my appointment next week it has left the building and my surgeon doesn't take another needle to me. I changed my dressings for the first time today and my scar is amazing - even though it runs from hip to hip and initially looked like a shark had been having a go at me, it is slowly but surely fading into a thin pink line. The breast incisions are non existent. I would have to look really hard to see them!

Congratulations Shelley!

Just back from the WNBF show on the Gold Coast where Shelley came 2nd in Figure Novice. As you could enter more than one division, we decided to do Open Figure as well where she also came 2nd. Well done Shelley! It was a much smaller show than last week's INBA, but still a lot of fun nevertheless.

Also a big CONGRATULATIONS to KatieP who is competing in Sydney today - haven't got results or photos as yet, but I am very proud of Katie committing to me for 16 weeks and getting into amazing shape. I had the pleasure of meeting her last weekend and she looked great then.

Dave Greenwalt Does American Idol

For one of the best posing routines you will ever see, check out this link:
http://davidgreenwalts.leannesslifestyle.com/video/david_does_american_idol.html

I learnt everything I needed to know about final week prep from Dave with his program, The Leanness Lifestyle. He doesn't carb deplete, he doesn't deplete water. What's the secret....he gets lean enough in the beginning - he's 5'10", 86.36kg on stage and 3.9% bodyfat...yikes.

Turning a corner

I have been so busy with the events of the weekend that I have not posted any healing updates. I think that getting out and going to the show is one of the best things I could have done - the whole weekend made me forget about my belly which was just fantastic.

I saw the surgeon on Monday and asked why I was so swollen - he immediately palpated my tummy and said - you've got fluid under the skin (with my surgery, the lymphatic system is cut, releasing in fluid build up, hence why there are surgical drains inserted when you wake up). He produced a whopping great needle and instructed me to lie down whilst he drained it. Turns out that I have little pockets of fluid all over my belly and that he would have had to insert the needle over and over again to get it out. He told me that I needed to stand up straighter and he s-l-o-w-l-y pushed me fully upright, telling me that the skin and abdominal muscles needed to rejoin and that by standing up straight, the fluid would be pushed away. In three days I am about 50-70% less swollen, simply amazing. I got clearance to drive and I am taking the girls to and from school. I am still getting very tired, but I am feeling much better. I'm even beginning to consider going Paleo for a few days to give my body a bit more of a detox.

I'm not on a diet

Moroccan Lamb Salad

Lamb backstrap, roasted pumpkin, roasted onion, capsicum , semi dried tomatoes, spinach leaves, feta cheese, chickpeas. Dressing - lemon juice, garlic, Moroccan seasoning, cracked pepper.

The Rules:
. Post a photo of one of your favourite healthy meals.
2. Title the post “I’m Not on a Diet”
3. Link back to this post.
4. Tag 5 other people.

See recipe above. I think everyone has been tagged but I will tag Rae, Lyndsay, Michelle, Leslie and KatieP

More pics!

I love this photo, but the box on the floor, which lines up nicely with my butt makes it look heewwge :) I really think competitions really make those who have pale skin look positively anaemic!

INBA Brisbane Titles - what a great day!

Whew, just got home from the Brisbane INBA comp and know that there are probably some bloggers hanging out for results and photos. I took a bucketload of photos, not just of the girls I trained, but everyone else too (I will leave it up to Lyndsay and Carolyn to post their own amazing pics first though).

The day started off at 10am, picking up Andrea and then meeting Michelle and hubby Mal to organize hair and makeup.Then it was off to the Sleeman Centre (venue) to meet Shelley and Tara. Mal thoughtfully began to park in the disabled zone to drop me off, so I didn't have as far to hobble to the venue. My sister did a fantastic job with Michelle's hair - thank you sis.

Once there, it was time to slam down a sandwich and get down to the business of applying Dream Tan to two very toned bodies, whilst offering them Jelly Snakes, which I think is becoming a Liz N. tradition. Here I have to thank Tara for coming to my rescue and being my backstage helper. Tara is looking incredible, she's been training hard these past few months and my jaw nearly hit the floor when I saw all of the incredible changes that have been going on in her bod (I'm secretly thinking of making box squats standard on all of my programs!)

There were eighteen in Figure Novice which both Shelley and Michelle competed in. Michelle stepped on stage in Figure Short - I have been busting to post an ab shot to show everyone how great Michelle's abs are (I thought, probably the best in her line up) - now I have the perfect opportunity.

Then it was Shelley's turn in Figure Tall - strutting herself next to Carolyn and Lyndsay who also looked incredible. I thought Shelley had the best legs in the line up, Carolyn had a fantastic back going on and Lyndsay's midsection was incredible.

I was feeling very proud of what both girls have achieved by just getting up on stage, when places were called. I'm pleased to announce that Miss Shelley came in 3rd in Figure Tall, the icing on the cake - from what has been a really successful and enjoyable day.

Well done girls!

It was also great to see Selina, Katie (yes, Miss Katie), Alicia, Lisa, Lindy, Dallas, Hillary, Andrea, Nicole , Sue, Di and Raechelle - hope I haven't left anyone out!

Hump Day

I chose this photo today because I can't wait to get outside a bit more. I'm hopeless at fishing though, just another thing I have to try before I die.

I read Andrea's journal today, she was lamenting that she had nothing to write about, as she has been laid up by injury and is feeling demotivated. I hope she doesn't quit writing just yet and jumps into the "I've got to take time out, I'm fed up, but I'm still going to write," boat with me.

I still have a long way to go before I can even think of any formal exercise, but I can close my eyes and imagine that one day not to far away in the future, I am going to be able to really kick some butt. I've been thinking of the road I took back to fitness when I lost all of my weight, and remember that it was very exciting to see the changes and improvements I was making to my fitness nearly every training session that I did.

I am still trying to work out what is going to thrill me the most, restoring my cardiovascular fitness, or my strength. It is amazing how much we use our abdominals for the most innocuous of movements. I am noticing them when I try and open our sliding door, get out of bed or lift up a carton of milk (yes, you read right!). I think, that given my strength is so limited right now, that improving it will be a real joy.

Closer to standing up straight but not perfect - by the end of the day I am swollen and hunched and sport a pot belly. At least my boobs are now always going to be bigger than my belly.....

Dreaming of RPM

Today I ordered my new Les Mills materials for RPM and Bodystep, which of course got me daydreaming about my potential return to teaching - not for awhile though :)

I am pleased to say that I am almost there with "Project Stand Up Straight". I am one or two degrees off being fully upright, except when I am there it pulls like anything and I can feel where the muscle repair begins at the tip of my xyphoid process (that is the bony prominence where the rib cage meets for interested peeps). I am still swollen and feel/look like a fat bloated cow, but hopped on the scales (didn't know if this was such a wonderful idea but you don't know if you don't go) and found that I have actually dropped weight since having the surgery. I have been trying to eat well for the most part but have found the odd row or two of chocolate sneaking in here and there...guess it has medicinal properties after all.

I'm really looking forward to the INBA show this weekend. Both Michelle and Shelley have done a stellar job and I'm looking forward to meeting Miss Katie this weekend too as well as Carolyn and Selina. After being locked up in hospital and the house for the last four weeks, I'm going to try and contain my excitement at the prospect of a day in the outside world.

Happy Mother's Day!!

I hope everyone who reads this blog and is also a mother has had a great day. My favourite part of Mother's Day is the small handmade gifts that my two girls give me and the cards that they make. They are definitely worth treasuring.

We had a breakfast at my sister in laws place this morning which was quite nice - go the grilled tomatoes and poached eggs!

Hmm what else? Did the weekly dressing changes and took photos - best news is that I am definitely less swollen than last week.

Here's to a great week ahead :)

Cabin Fever!~

Today I realized that I haven't left the house after my supermarket boogie a week ago. It's funny, even though I felt like I had researched the procedure well, it feels like the recovery is taking forever.

As you may be able to guess, patience is not one of my virtues! I've also done a bit of reading on various plastic surgery sites that say it's very common to have the 'post surgery blues' at this point. Soooo, when I'm sounding like a bit of a crankpot, tell me I'll get over it.

On the positive side of things, I've managed to get quite a lot of online work done this week and am looking forward to more of the same next week. I'm catching up with my Precision Nutrition materials as I prepare to get my official license and accreditation.

Excitement is also brewing over the Figure Comps coming up in the next few weeks - Michelle and Shelley next week at the INBA Brisbane and Katie the week after at the ANB Sydney titles. Katie put up a sneak peak on her blog today - she's doing a great job - have a look at my sidebar and click "Katie". It's an amazing feeling to see all the hard work that everyone has done and have been part of the process. You go girls!

Still here

Still here and working hard on "Project Stand Up Straight". I'm nearly there but not quite!

I will post more tomorrow - I have been busy busy busy today with clients.

Fitness related - what a hottie!

After my little rant, I'm really thrilled to be able to post some pictures of Miss Shelley who is competing in the INBA Brisbane titles next Saturday.

I first knew Shelley when I was living in Singleton (which was 2001-2004) - we used to cross paths at the local pharmacy, but little did I know that one day we would meet up in Brisbane through Miss Kerryn. Amazing stuff!

Shelley has done more than transform her body over the last year - she's moved to Brisbane, become a personal trainer herself and done her RPM certification (you only need to look at her legs to know that she's heavily involved with RPM). She's completely revamped her nutrition (thank you Precision Nutrition!) and worked hard with her training , especially as she's got a bit of ectomorph in her- she's put up with me asking her if she caned her training for the past six months.

Oh, and she's also put up with me moaning and bitching about being a swollen cane toad....

I'm really proud of her for a job well done - those muscles are looking luscious!

So give it up for Miss Shelley - you're looking hot girl!

So I know I can't dance

Miss S came over today to perfect the last bit of her posing routine. I am still bent over like an old woman, which is a bit discouraging and bloated like anything, so a shapely figure competitor, I am not right now. I was trying not to laugh as I was saying place your foot here, move three steps, point your toes, 1-2-3-4. I could see how terrible I looked in the reflection of the TV, all hunched over and trying to dance..ugh! However, the main thing was that Miss S looked good doing her routine and she does - and posing is looking pretty darn good too.

I was lamenting that this blog has been losing its fitness appeal lately, as my mind and body has been focused on healing from this surgery. My chest looks fantastic, my tummy is taking so much longer to come to the party. I was feeling rather down about everything last night and then woke up this morning feeling much better about things - I will do the best I can with what I can control - eating well, resting and keeping a positive attitude. I WILL turn the corner eventually.

Supermarket Hi-jinks

Today I had my first proper supermarket outing - my mother took me shopping at Woollies today. After several fervent prayers that nobody I knew would see me - I was wearing sheepskin slipper, holey tracky daks and my Mike Robertson Performance Enhancement TShirt (my mother was snorting at the idea that anything I'm doing these days is high performance) - I made it through the door and stocked up on veggies (until I'm well enough to slice and dice it is Steamfresh all the way), fruit and trashy magazines. I estimated that I would have walked around for about 15 minutes, albeit leaning on the trolley for support and when I sat down, boy could I feel where the surgeon had done the muscle repair..ouch.

After a good lie down, I'm feeling much better and am glad that I got out of the house for a bit. I have been at a loose end and decided to read my blog from 2006 (when I last competed) - made me start to think that I cannot wait to write a post about how I trained and what I was up to and reading all the current competitor's blogs, I feel all fired up again to compete in some shape or form. My comp girls are coming along nicely and I can't wait to cheer them on in a few week's time.

I'm still not standing straight yet and was feeling very despondent that I haven't achieved this little mini goal yet, but was cheered by a little bit more progress this morning. I'm not expecting any great shakes tomorrow after my supermarket boogie, but you never know.

INBA Brisbane Show Get Together

Seems like there will be a lot of bloggers around for the INBA Brisbane Titles on the 17th May. I have been thinking that it would be a good idea to have a recovery breakfast or get together on the 18th of May - my thoughts have been at a venue such as the Stamford or the Hilton, where you can basically get anything you need/want for breakfast if you're preparing (or you can hit the smoked salmon and danishes...your choice!). If you would like to come or have a better idea, could you please contact me via my Store Contact form at http://www.thefitnesssolution.com.au/ (I'm avoiding spam here). Thoughts and ideas most welcome!

PS - Can you see my gorgeous Shannon in the pic - my only complaint is that they didn't make her big enough!

PPS- If you are bringing kids, no problem - we can work out how to keep them busy whilst we enjoy ourselves

struggle street

I have to admit that the last two days have been a real struggle. I have been sore, exhausted, cranky and generally impatient about the whole standing up straight process. I think that I am standing up straighter, but boy is progress slow! Apparently it's quite common to be not standing up straight two week's post surgery so I cannot allow myself to think too much about it and get myself stressed out.

The tiredness has made me feel hungry and I've found myself trolling for food, rather than doing the right thing and lying down. Today I have taken a different approach and am spending more time lying down and the food cravings have dissipated.

The "girls" have started to soften a little bit and feel more natural - already I can't wait to buy some new bras (DH has already thrown out all my old bras in anticipation - 10A, don't think I'll be needing that anymore!). I had been concerned about what his reaction to the new additions would be ie did they look fake, but he has been very positive about everything. The tummy was also less swollen last night and with now being able to stand a little straighter discover that I actually have a waist - just amazing.

At this stage I haven't really let myself get too excited about things yet - I'm still very paranoid about post surgical complications as my last two C-Sections were problematic to say the least. So next step is to work on the post surgery complication fears and relax and start to enjoy my new shape.