I'm Back!

Hello Again!

Phew I have been flat out lately and have been away from home for a week, so have not been able to post anything. I am realising I have a bit of catching up to do and to follow through with some of my promises. So here I go!

On getting fit and fine as......mmm.....perhaps I should leave it there...oh dear.
I am afraid to report that apart from a fairly long daily walk last week, the leg lifts, sit ups and what not did not get done at all as religiously as I would have hoped....oh dear oh dear oh dear. Tut tut!
 The week before I was doing really well but then last week we went away to Melbourne and stayed on Lygon street...hence my unravelling in more ways than just exercising....I mean, Lygon Street... good food, shopping, cafes...restaurants galore, how was I to avoid all of that?!

But today is Monday again and I can start afresh! I am feeling pretty good with all the exercising and the walking has been so great. Pushing that pram up and down the hills were we live is a great challenge! So this week I will get those running shoes on and get going. Am thinking of wearing the pedometer in the photo above to help me stay motivated to get to 10,000 steps per day (the recommended amount to stay fit and lose weight). Will keep you posted on my progress!

Now on to Thankyou Water.....I meant to post about it awhile ago and never did. Oops!
Thankyou Water  is an awesome initiative run by young Australians to provide clean water for developing countries such as Kenya and Cambodia. They sell bottled water labelled Thankyou Water and they use 100% of the profits made by selling this water here in Australia, to supply clean drinking water for developing countries. How wonderful is that?! I lurrve it and am keen to support it.

Unfortunately it is not sold at major supermarkets yet but hopefully in the near future it will be. It is currently sold at 7 eleven stores and other cafes. You can go to their website Thankyou Water  and find a store located near you if you want to purchase a bottle or two or three! So keep your eyes pealed!

There was a segment awhile ago about Thankyou Water on the 7pm project and also on Sunrise, (for all those in Australia) and they interviewed the founders of the organisation. You can watch the interview here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-PKfwM9HFw as it explains it all better than I can and is really interesting.

So there you go. Something I am passionate about and keen to support. Hope you can find a bottle of Thankyou Water in a store near you!

I better go for now though as my little O is up and ready for some dinner! I will write soon about my happenings last week!

xo Rachel

Update on Getting Fit and Fine-as

Day One

So today.....

I went for a 40 min walk up and down the hills around our place with Little O. We stopped off at the park on the way of course....a must for Little O. She starts to flap her arms wildly and squeal with delight as soon as we go past the park, so who could resist that? Not me!
I also managed to do my 100 sit ups and leg lifts and some pelvic floor exercises as per the spreadsheet. What fun.

 I stayed in my exercise gear all day....trying to feel fit and fine-as even though I am not....yet. Tried not to notice the muffin tops exploding over the tops of my leggings. Tried not to think about my pasty white legs and arms. Also tried not to think about eating carbs.....

 When Mr PTF came home from work we went for a long walk together. Up and down hills again and we stopped at a gorgeous little park with an amazing view of the rolling hills as a backdrop. Did some push ups and squats while Little O squealed away on the swings. Phew! Exhausting stuff but soo good.

 I ate a reasonably healthy stir fry for tea tonight....however I slipped up. I gave in to the tempting homemade potato chips that Mr PTF baked for himself. My excuse is that they were from the vegie patch and also they had also been  homemade by my lovely hubbie....how could I refuse? I couldn't. Mmmmm perhaps a bit of pilates to work that off....maybe.....maybe not.

Tomorrow is going to be busy but I am really hoping to do some pilates in the morning (using a dvd) and my sit ups etc and if I can possibly do a walk I will but that may be too much.
So, not a bad start for day one....
xo Rachel

On 'Getting Fit and Fine-as for the Festive Season'

HELP!!!!!

So, seeing as tomorrow is a Monday....I have decided to take the plunge and to start my week by going public with my goal of getting Fit and Fine-as ... anyone want to join me?

Am I alone with my muffin tops and jiggly belly and my tuck-shop lady arms that keep wobbling when I wave goodbye?....very demoralising too I might add.

I am going public with this because I think it makes it so much more real...I will have to be responsible and accountable this way.....oh dear....what am I doing?!

I know that when goal setting you are supposed to make them Smart goals.

S-pecific

M-easurable

A-chievable or attainable

R-elevant

T-ime bound

So I guess if you look at my goal.....'To get Fit and Fine-as for the Festive Season', it is not exactly specific or measurable. My definition of fit and fine-as is perhaps to be less jiggly, to lose the muffin tops, to tone up the jiggly bits (belly, thighs, arms, bottom) and to feel fit and healthy. I would love to feel good in myself, to feel more energy and more on top of things. Not exactly quantifiable I know, but that is what I want.

To know if I have succeeded I guess, my skinny leg jeans will need to fit me a bit better, the muffin tops will not hang over the tops of them as much and my tummy will not roll on top of itself when I sit down. Is this too much to ask??! Perhaps I will have a bit more tone in my thighs and bottom and my arms will get a bit more tone too. There...is that specific enough?! I don't have a set of scales so the weight is not such a big deal for me it is mainly to do all the things above. I may measure myself but then again I may not. I think the main thing is to feel better in myself.

For now, I am going to do the normal things we all try to do....eat healthily, exercise more, BUT I have a secret weapon.... a spreadsheet.....

Yes.

You heard me right.

A spreadsheet! Mr PTF is a mastermind at spreadsheets and he takes great pleasure in suggesting one for almost anything....for example, our budget..."we should put that on a spreadsheet", plans to update our house and garden...on a spreadsheet. Our 8 week trip to Europe and all accommodation for each and every day...on a spreadsheet. My daily exercise plan...."hey you should put that on a spreadsheet" and so it is, courtesy of Mr PTF because I get completely lost and frustrated with the different cells and formulas on excel and grrrrrrrrr!!!!!

Now it is rather ambitious I admit, but I have got to aim high...I always do. I will be eating alot more fresh veg, lots of fruit and corn thins. Not so much carbohydrates, much less sugar, no fatty/oily foods  where possible (there will be times where it will be absolutely necessary to have some popcorn both savoury and sweet caramel goodness).

So, I will be drinking  alot of this

(More about this awesome water next post!)

I will also be munching on this

and alot of that

and maybe some of this mmm mmm

Now that the weather is much warmer I have noooo excuse to not go for a walk and Little O absolutely lurrrves going outside for walks, especially if we happen to stop at the park for a swing and a slide. 

I 

JUST

HAVE

TO

GET

OFF

MY

BOTTOM

AND

DO IT!!!!!!!!

And so I will. Feel free to join me if you want. Wish me luck, I will keep you posted on my progress!!

xo Rachel