Ye Olde Blogge Ramble

I've been quiet on the blog front of late, because I've been thinking. Plus I have discovered that when I take on several things I do them, but not very well! In fact, I barely keep my head above water! I've been quietly discarding the superfluous from my life, mostly physical stuff as we prepare to move and realizing that at the end of the day, we don't need much to be truly happy.

To do something really well, one needs to prioritize. This is why Olympic athletes live their whole lives around their training - it's impossible to achieve that standard with everything else humming away in the background. It's what makes Figure Competitions so appealing to many - it's what got me competing in the first place - 20 weeks to focus on me, me, me!

I've been searching for that priority in my fitness life lately. I make a start, and feel like I get waylaid by injuries, class fills, and other minutiae I'd rather do without. Last Friday I blogged about my RPM Assessment with Maka which was an incredible learning experience - was a bit overwhelmed with the feedback but was able to take some of it into my class today and it really rocked - felt so strong, so powerful on the bike and alive! I really put the intensity on and toughed it out, even though there were some points where I just wanted to fade badly.

Inspired by this, I've signed up for an Advanced Instructor Module for RPM with Les Mills in February, exactly one month away. My goal and my intention is to really nail this module both with fitness and my presentation. Soooooo, I'm putting my first goal out there for the year. The module is locked in and I'd be doing myself a great disservice by turning up as less than the best version of myself. A month isn't too long to focus, the kids are going back to school and I'm not doing any pharmacy work. Me, me, me and RPM sounds rather nice! The aim of this being to have another crack at LMA auditions in May. I feel funny writing about this - I've had thoughts of "what if I don't succeed and I've got to blog about it again?" It's the same feeling I had when I came dead last in Figure Intermediate all those years ago - but I look back on that comp with pride - I did the best I could and arrived in the best condition I've achieved. So, if I don't make it, I'm going to look at it as a wonderful learning experience and I can only become a better coach and teacher for making the effort.

The plan involves doing what I can in the gym - mostly at this stage, very specific strength work and Pilates, indoor and outdoor cycling.

Nutrition wise, I do best on a good balance of foods - deprivation is not a term that I care to have in my vocabulary. Self care by honouring myself with the best nutrition that works for me is what I do best.

Katie has written a couple of thought provoking posts in the last few days. The one I've linked to, I could have written word for word. When I moved to the middle of nowhere and knew nobody, I felt exactly the same. Even though I'm a tried and true introvert, the importance of connection cannot be underestimated. That is how I got into blogging and found "my tribe" - all the other girls around competing in Figure in 2006.

The last six months or so has seen an evolution of the tribe I want to hang out with in the blogosphere. I've retained some excellent internet and real life friendships and others in my tribe have moved away from my circle as our lives and interests have diverged. This has puzzled me and saddened me at times, but I think there is an element of "nature" in it. I have evolved as well and cannot expect that the same people who thought I was cool back then to may be think I'm crash hot now I've had four years or so blogging about my neuroses. Though I must also say, I've met some pretty cool bloggers in the past few months whose blogs I love to read and comment on (waving!).

I too, feel happiest when I have a deep sense of connection with people too - Katie is an example of someone who I started with in a completely different context to where we are now. Same with many of my others like Shelley, Shan, Kerryn , Nicole and Kirst (if I've left anyone out, it's because I'll run out of room mentioning how fantastic you all are). True friendships grow - and embrace changes.

Meanwhile, I have still got one foot strongly leveraged in the Figure camp with girls who are prepping for various shows during the year. We're even going Fitness for the All Females in July - different training focus - just love the challenge of bringing in a smashing hot body that is going to spin some fantastic moves as well as look sensational - can't wait. All the other girls are doing really well, training hard and not turning into carb depleted lunatics. I'm so proud of 'em!

Monday - back into it!

Back into the swing of things today, finally. I have to admit that I'm still feeling rather weak and sick but nevertheless got some training done as well. I had the luxury of actually participating in RPM today which was nice and I did upper body/shoulder stuff and more glute work. I have "piss ant " glutes which have improved (like a fine wine) but can always do with more muscle! Tomorrow I have a window of opportunity (40minutes ) to train so I will make the most of this with a run and some deadlifts.

Weight is bouncing all over the place - after reaching a new low, I bounced back when I started eating normally again and had what my mate Hazel would call an "ill timed" splurge meal last night which didn't help the situation any. So one step at a time to paddle the old canoe into calmer waters.

Saturday Ramblings

I can't believe it's Saturday already! This morning I taught half of RPM Hi Performance again which was great fun - this week was a bit harder - seemed to take longer to warm up and I used more complex choreo - which I must revise again before I teach tomorrow. I don't have issues learning it but I like to break each track down and add a bit of my own teaching focus to it, which is the hardest part for me. Once I know what I want to focus on, I seem to be able to teach in a much smoother fashion.

I enjoyed a nice Crunchola Recovery meal (lotsa starchy carb) which was nice as I have been very PN compliant this week and only had starchy carb post workout. The problem is that most of my workouts lately I haven't considered "real workouts" - but I am very proud of being able to walk at 6.5km/hr on the treadmill comfortably. I've been experimenting with more fat and nuts, seeds etc - really it is just an excuse for me to get stuck into the Smoked Trout!

I'm slowly stitching up what I need to start at Fitness First from the personal training perspective in August. Yesterday's task was to redo my CPR, which is a once yearly thing for us fitness professional types. Then I met Shelley at FF Indro where I ran through parts of the new program I have written for her. It was actually good practice doing a bit of one on one (you were a great guinea pig Shelley ) and seeing just what I could do comfortably in the gym given my surgical limitations.

Next week marks the 12 week post op mark (Friday) and from this point I have been "cleared to do whatever I like". I may still phone the doc again and confirm this, but I'm looking forward to lifting a few weights and going for a run. I did have a little jig from the bus stop to the car and it felt good! The swelling that I have been complaining about has gone down a lot and I wake up pretty much flat in the mornings and I'm finally used the the shape of my top half. I definitely have no regrets about either surgery now, but the recovery has taken much longer than I would have liked.

Shoulder pain is diminishing and when I lift my arm, the impingement that was there has nearly gone. Neck vertebrae are still stiff, but that doesn't scare me as much as the rotator cuff issue.

To sum up this rather lengthy post - it's all good. I'm really looking forward to beginning the next phase of my journey and becoming really fit, strong and toned again. I can't predict the future past that though!

swimming..I love it!

I am hoping that when the time is right post recovery to take up swimming again. There's nothing better than feeling like you are gliding through the water.

Today I taught RPM HiPerformance and got to catch up with Miss S, Andj and Miss J and got to have a post workout Surge suckdown. That stuff is seriously tasty! I think that I'm going to have a look at some of their other products as well in the future. First of all though, I have to get through a 4kg tub of Cookies and Cream, chocolate, soy vanilla and the like. I'm sure that Kek will have some fantastic ideas as to how to come up with tasty concoctions with all of it. I tried making Golden Edge Egg White protein pancakes yesterday - they didn't turn out anything like her Phat Camp blueberry numbers, so I'm hoping for some tips when she gets back from Tassie.

The girls I have prepping for this next round of competitions are all doing well. I'm sure they get sick of me telling them how veggies are so good for them, but I know how proud they will be to get out there on stage knowing that they accomplished something that is hard - and it will be the best feeling in the world!

In other news, I am now thirteen days out from the surgery and I must say it is really at the forefront of my mind. I keep flip flopping between "do I really need to be doing this?" to "I think it will be worth it." In the meantime, I just have to keep busy - I'm teaching three classes on Monday, so that should help!

More about the road I'm travelling

We had a fantastic New Year's celebration last night and I am reporting that the curries were fabulous, though rather rich. However my first goal is to start cooking some of the recipes in "Gourmet Nutrition" which came from Precision Nutrition ( www.precisionnutrition.com ) last week. I've been racking my brains trying to think of new goals and plans and have been flip flopping around in a pit of indecision.

I know I wrote about my plans in my previous post, but I'm still work in progress there.

About the book: I'd like to write a book about how to "live lean and love life" from the Liz perspective. I have been immensely fortunate to have worked with such a wide variety of clients and friends who have taught me so much about this from so many different angles. I'd like to be able to show others that living lean and loving life is within everyone's reach. Yes, it requires discipline and hard work, but nothing that is good comes easy.

About my fitness goals: As I have previously posted, I have been considering having abdominal repair surgery to fix up my separated abdominals (diastasis) as a result of having a very large baby. I have been doing a lot of research and speaking to a lot of other health professionals and it does seem that having this surgery done will go a long way in helping me with the stability problems that have plagued me for the last 7-8 years. I don't have appointments with the surgeon/s until February and late March though. So....my current plan is to continue to raise the bar as much as I can with both strength training and my cardiovascular fitness. I have been very pleased with Mike's work and have learnt a lot from him. I was amazed to look in the mirror today and see a lot of hamstring growth as a result of really focusing on the posterior chain. Cardio wise, I am enjoying a good level of fitness right now - my aim being to be as tough as old boots (aka unstoppable) on the bike. I am also restarting Clinical pilates in preparation for the surgery, should I go ahead. Leanness wise, I am hanging around the 60-61kg mark - I feel my best at 57-58kg so my aim is to start nudging off a little body fat this month.

About my coaching/teaching goals: My aim is quality, not quantity with clients. I am taking on fewer clients this year because I want to give the ones that I already have a higher level of service. I have really enjoyed being on the coaching end of things this year and want to continue to develop my skills in this area. On the teaching side of things, I love teaching my classes and enjoy all of the friendships I've made at the gym immensely. I had such a great time doing RPM this afternoon and feel so lucky to enjoy things so much.

About my family and personal goals: I want to become a "Tuckshop Mum With Triceps" this year - my baby is going to school and I want to spend a little time doing something for both of my girls at school. I can't leave out my DH though - I'd like to spend more time having fun with him too.

Wow, that has turned into rather a ramble.

I'll just post my training stats for the day:

Run: rolling fartlek (yes, I want to snigger every time I post this word!) run 20 minutes

Iron Work: mobilization/stretches: Romanian Deadlifts 3 x 10, Front Plate Squat 3 x 10

RPM HiPerformance (John E) 55 minutes.

Ramble ahead

"Getting there isn't half the fun - it's all the fun". Robert Townsend

I'm in the mood to write about fitness "challenges" tonight - and to make a small confession about them. I'm not into "challenges" as such, I'm into making fitness a permanent fixture of one's life - meaning that whether you train for two or twelve weeks, the goal is the same - to move and eat in a way that is productive for your physique, your health, your mind and your spirit! Sure you "challenge" yourself along the way with how far you can take your fitness journey, but there is really no cut off point or discrete time where you say, "my journey is finished". Like every other part of life, maintaining and improving fitness is a fluid phenomenon - there will be periods in life where other things take precedence, periods in life where you won't feel like doing it, but will make the time anyway and times in your journey where you are soaring towards peaks and great things.

In other words, enjoy the journey! You may start with one idea in mind and end up with a completely different result or perspective. Be prepared to be open to where a so called "challenge" can really take you - hopefully to the door of my Not-So-Secret Society - lifetime fitness enthusiasts - we're the ones you see running around in our Lorna Janes with sweaty faces, the ones you see at the fruit market, the ones who get up early morning after morning, train and become one with the Universe. We're a society that's always looking for new members so tie up those laces and get busy as Cathe Friedrich says!

Today's training was Mike's "Day 2" Lower Body Program and I got busy with Plate Front Squats, single leg Romanian deadlifts and "Walking Spiderman" (what I was thinking by the end was "where does "Holy Batman DOMS" come in- still sore from Tuesday). Then I decided to be even more of a lunatic and teach my RPM class straight afterwards. Ouch!

I've enjoyed a relatively clean day of eating, except for a scoop of Cookies and Cream Icecream - unfortunately the protein powder version doesn't come close (the cookie bits are so small my hubby wonders if they are mouse poo...charming man)

Riding the RPM train again!

I have just spent the weekend launching RPM and Bodystep. It was so much fun to team teach with other instructors and we had this wacky 70s/early 80s theme going. I knew that I had it right when DH asked me if I was going out "dressed like that". It's when your husband turns into your mother, you know you have made some impression! After a weekend of lots of launches, we all treated ourselves to Indian food which was just delicious. I got the expected carb bloat this morning though, but that was OK, it gave me the chance to really cane it today.

I really enjoy this new RPM release, particularly the Track 5 with the 2 minute time trial and I got to teach it again this morning. Bodystep tomorrow, some weights, a lunchtime meeting and panel interview tomorrow. It's going to be a busy one!

It has been raining here today and I have been catching up on some admin. I don't even mind that I still have piles of washing to do from last week - I would much rather see the rain than worry whether my washing will dry or not. Bring it on!

Fat Bloated Cow Syndrome

Love this pic, I'm a Fat Bloated Cow who has "Lost" the plot! Yes indeedy, TOM is giving me a thorough drubbing! At least I'm not a PMSing Fat Bloated Cow - you gotta look on the bright side, right? I hope you can see the pic, I've tried publishing this three times with no luck.

I've just come back from a weekend at the beach with the girls. It was a good way to pass the weekend, rather than having to climb the walls with boredom in Woop Woop. However I think the location is where most mining families tend to go to get away from it all because I spent the entire weekend running into people I've been trying to get away from! It's nothing personal, it's just my INFJ tendency to want some privacy to recharge the old batteries. Speaking of MBTI types, I checked out the link in the comments area of Jodie's journal - about the INFJ type and somehow managed to find myself reading about INFJ vs INFP. It was really illuminating because I've often wondered if I am an INFP, but the more I read on the more obvious it is that I am definitely an INFJ type. I'd like to delve into this more at some stage because I believe it could really help me with my future projects.

We are having a second round of summer weather here. It was over 30degrees C before 8am this morning and the Woop Woop ants are out in full force. I have spent the morning mopping the floor and trying to work out why all of a sudden, ants want to invade my house. Despite not feeling like a workout, I pulled out RPM 32 and gave myself a thorough pasting and I feel much better already!