Sometimes LIFE just gets in the way...

For anyone doing the 12wbt, you will know that part of the warm-up tasks in pre-season is to write down all the excuses that normally prevent you from eating/exercising/living healthy, and strategies for coping and getting past those hurdles when they inevitably arise.

My excuses are nothing too exciting - I'm too busy, too tired, not motivated, etc...
All excuses.  All things I can realistically overcome in order to live the healthy life I know I should.

But this last week - was a crisis week!

One of those weeks, where LIFE really and truly got in the way, tripped me up and then decided to stick the boot in whilst I was down.

It started on Tuesday.  I had been really good and busy on the weekend exercise-wise, so Monday was my rest day.  In hindsight, I should have JFDI because little was I to know that LIFE was about to jump out and completely sabotage everything in the next 48 hours.

Tuesday night our area had a huge storm - thunder, lightning, hail, the works. Our house flooded.  At one point, hubby was out the front in his wetsuit, literally digging trenches to try and avert the flood that was coming in the front door.  I was in our bedroom mopping buckets and buckets of water, which it turns out was coming in from the roof (which was supposedly replaced earlier in the year following similar weather, but now turns out not to Council regulations, or any kind of regulations!!).

Our house is habitable (now), but we have no flooring, and hope there is no more freak summer storms headed our way in the next month or so whist the insurance sorts it all out. 

So, needless to say, exercise for the rest of the week as a definite non-event (along with other things, such as this blog).

But sometimes these things happen.  Sometimes, LIFE needs to happen, if only to put things in perspective and remind you what is important, what is worth stressing about, what is within your control to change.

For me, the lesson I have learnt this week?  Excuses are exactly that - excuses.  These are the reasons why you do/don't do something, that are within your power and control.  The things you can change.  LIFE is a little more transcendent.  LIFE tends to take control for you, if only to remind you that you can't be 'in control' all the time, but also to appreciate the areas that you can control.  This week, I have learnt a little bit more how to 'roll with the punches', how to pick myself up from something outside my control and get back on the wagon. 

And I have and I did.  And on Sunday I ran my second triathlon for the year.  But that's a story for another time!!

Binge eating

Now, I am not going to go into the scientifics of binge eating, except to say that it is recognised in psychology fields as a legitimate eating disorder - and it doesn't necessarily have to involve a purge (as with bulimia).  What I mean to say is, non-purging bulimia (ie binge without the purge) is a recognised eating disorder that affects a lot of people.

Characteristics vary, but the main theme seems to be a binge session (which can be anything from turning a 'cheat/treat' meal into a day, to a full-out binge eating everything in sight), followed by feelings of guilt, self recrimination, promises to yourself to do better, promises to start again tomorrow.

The wonderfully motivating and inspiring VMFitness recently covered this very issue on her blog.  It goes into the science and psychology of it, along with her own personal journey and some personal tips on dealing with it.  I think the article and references is pretty good and comprehensive, so I won't go into the details here.

So why mention it?

I have been a binge eater.  It was one of the main reasons why I signed up for 12wbt in the first place - to work on my mindset.  My binges would primarily happen when my husband went to work, most often on the first day he was gone (definitely some emotional issues there).

The eating side of it would involve junk food, fast food, takeaway, larger than normal portions, things I knew I shouldn't be eating (ie cheese) - McDonalds, Hungry Jacks, pizza, nachos.
The behaviour side of it would involve feelings of guilt and major self recrimination - having seen the signs in a textbook I would even say bordering on depression.  Sometimes I would even cry whilst eating, knowing that what I was doing was so bad for me, but feeling out of control to stop.
Following the binge, I would hide the evidence so my husband wouldn't find out (or friends and family), promising myself that tomorrow would be better, promising myself that I would go to the gym tomorrow and work it off.

It is really hard to write this post, and even harder to publish it - probably because I am still in a bit of denial about telling other people what I used to do, and also because I still struggle with the urge to binge on a regular basis.  I am doing this so that others can know they are not alone, and hopefully gain some perspective and assistance to get help or help themselves.

I struggle everyday.  12wbt has taught me how to plan ahead - 'fail to plan, plan to fail' - is one of the more potent messages that I have learnt from the program.  And for me it is so true.  If I don't plan my meals, and my shopping, the urge to binge becomes almost overwhelming.  And I still struggle.  I won't say that I have perfected it - I have still had the odd binge, even in the last week.  These days I binge on more healthier food options but it is still a binge (ie larger portion sizes of my meals).

I am working every day to be the best version of me, to live by the ethos that 'my body is a temple' and should be treated as such.  I know that whenever you fall off the wagon you should pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and jump back on.

And I am doing that.

And each time, the length of time from when I last fell off gets a little bit longer and it gets a little bit easier to hang on and keep going.

I am a work in progress.

JFDI

I'm writing this as I sit on the train - heading home after a long day at work. It's 6.30pm here and I had scheduled my 12wbt workout for on the way home. Toning today - which I really need to do to try and gain some much needed muscle definition!!

It's hard. I really should have done it this morning as I struggle with motivation generally, but even more at the end of the day. I'm tired. My stomach is growling at me like a tiger. I have about a million excuses running through my head about why I should just go home and cook dinner and go to bed. I know in my heart of hearts that these are just excuses. I know that motivation is like a bad boyfriend - never there when you need it. I know I have to really flex my willpower muscle to succeed in this. And I know that ultimately I can do it.

But damn it's hard!

My husband (who works FIFO) flew out today and I always find the first day the hardest. Both in terms of eating healthy and exercising. The easy way out (takeaway and straight home to the couch) sounds so appealing right now!!

I know I should suck it up and JFDI. I know I should stick to my goals and my commitment to myself. I know I will feel better if I do my workout then cook a healthy meal, instead of the guilt and self recrimination if I don't.

But it's still hard.

The internal battle will rage until I'm in the car and parking at the gym. It won't really go away until I start the warm up and then it will flip into 'well I might as well carry on now'.

But it's still hard.

I will go to the gym.
I will do my workout.
I will try and burn as close to 500 calories as I can.
I will succeed.
I will JFDI.

[editors note: for anyone interested I did go to the gym.  And between you, me and the lampost - I kicked ass!! 355 calorie burn (not bad for a weights session) and then home to cook a healthy Thai Larb with turkey mince.  Feeling just a little bit proud of myself right now ;)]

HIIT me...

The other day I tried my first ever round of HIIT (high intensity interval training) – or at least, my own made-up version of it.

I know what the basic idea of HIIT is – to get your heart rate up in short quick intervals, to burn maximum calories in minimum time.

It was Wednesday, cardio day on the 12wbt and to be honest, the program set out by the lovely Mish for that day seemed a bit boring to me.  I also knew there was no way I was going to burn anywhere close to 500 calories doing that workout, as I struggle to burn close to that doing a 10km run in 1 hour!  I also think maybe I am starting to plateau recently as my weight has not shifted and my metabolism must be cranking, as I am hungry ALL THE DAMN TIME!!  I also think there is a strong possibility my body has decided this is the weight it wants to be and is going to steadfastly stay there now (although again, these could all be subconscious excuses).

So anyway – back to cardio day.  I thought I would mix things up a bit and it ended up looking a bit like this:

·         Warm-up – nice and gentle on the treadmill for 5 minutes. 

·         Elliptical – 2km in 10 minutes ranging from level 8 to level 14 and back again.  The elliptical is a machine I am not very familiar with and generally feel rather uncoordinated on, kind of like I am about to swing myself out the window.  After 10 minutes I was starting to develop a nice sweat (oxymoron?) and my heart rate was definitely getting up.  I did a kind of pyramid thing, where I started on level 8 and then went up 2 levels each minute, ending at level 14, and then going down again to level 8 – for about 10 minutes.

·         Rower – 2km in 5 minutes (approx).  I have not used a rower for years, but I loved it!!  It truly felt like a whole body workout, I could feel my legs, quads, glutes, arms, chest, the works, all being pulled and stretched and worked.  Will definitely be coming back for more. [sidenote: the next day I was a bit sore through the arms and chest but otherwise ok – this is good]

·         Bike – 5km in 10 minutes.  I managed to keep my 2min/km pace time but actually kept the resistance fairly low as this was more of a recovery period for me.  Also I was conscious of moving to the treadmill afterwards and thought some easy brick training (for triathlon transitions) would be better than knocking myself out here.

·         Treadmill – 4km in 20 minutes.  I was so stoked with this as it meant a 5min/km pace time, which is my ultimate goal for longer time/distance running (I am currently around 6min/km pace time).  This consistent of a level 1 incline, 12km/hour speed, with 10 secs off and 20 secs on – running flat out. 

All up I really enjoyed it, both the individual components and the whole workout.  Including warm-up and stretches at the end I managed a 578 calorie burn in just over 1 hour. 

Gotta be happy with that!

The DOMSfather

Please excuse the cheesy blog title, but that kind of sums up what DOMS is for me – that ominous presence that looms over you, threatening you with all kinds of pain and fatigue, always lurking right around the corner, watching you finish your workout, waiting for the moment when you finally take a break, continuing to plague you – horse head in the bed style – when you are trying to sleep, get out of bed, go to the toilet, sit down, walk normally.

Technically (and medically) speaking, DOMS is an acronym for ‘Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness’.   It has been widely researched and written about, by sports scientists, nutritionists, and athletes alike.  In essence, according to an article put out by the Australian Sports Commission it refers to the damage to muscle fibres following games or intense exercise, characterised by tender, sore and stiff muscles usually 24-48 hours after the event.

Apparently, it used to be associated with build-ups in lactic acid in the muscle, causing pain.  However, this is now known as acute muscle soreness, which typically occurs during or immediately after exercise, compared to DOMS which only kicks in (pun intended) the day after exercise.

If you have ever had a really good weights session, or long endurance event (ie run a half marathon – although mine tend to set in from a 10km run, but I’m working on that too!) and woken up the next day with muscles that feel like lead, that scream in protest with any movement that stretches the muscle and extends your range of motion – then you have experienced the DOMS!

If you want to read more about it, I found this article on bodybuilding.com that seemed to be quite informative, and looks scientifically legit (although please don’t take my word for it).

In terms of treatment – well I think there are several things and not everything will work for every person.  I strongly recommend a bit of trial and error, but as a guide, here is what I do:

• Protein – after intense exercise I try and have some form of protein within half an hour.  A protein shake, boiled egg or tuna on toast is good for this depending on time constraints.  Other material I have read talks about how important protein is for muscle repair and recovery, and it’s the muscles that will experience the DOMS later and therefore need all the help recovering they can get!
• Magnesium – I take calcium and magnesium tablets (apparently the calcium helps absorption and I also need a calcium supplement so this is a personal preference), but there are powder forms available as well.  If I have done an intense session in the morning, I will take one afterwards and another at night before I go to bed.
• Muscle rub – I use a herbal rub by Moon Haven in Margaret River, WA (called Achy Breaky Rub), but tiger balm, dencorub or anything similar will do (watch out for any with added anti-inflammatories as these can be absorbed through the skin).  Rub the areas you know have a propensity to get painful, for me this is my lower back and usually my calf muscles, although lately it has also been my triceps (thanks Michelle Bridges!).  I also have dencorub heat patches for overnight relief, but I only use these when my lower back pain flares up (thankfully not that often).
• Massage – whether you prefer to do it yourself with some massage oil, or enlist the help of your partner, or a professional (physiotherapist or massage therapist), a massage can work wonders on loosening up the muscles and relaxing the muscle fibres.  It also feels great!
• Exercise – I know this probably sounds counter-intuitive but I have often found that going for a long walk or swim the afternoon or morning after a big session, helps to loosen everything up so I can (ahem) start all over again!

Well, these are my tips.  Please feel free to add your own to the comments – I’m always on the lookout for handy tips and tricks!

Disclaimer: I am not medically, nutritionally or scientifically qualified to make any of the statements outlined above.  These are my personal experiences and I strongly recommend anyone with concerns about their muscles, or DOMS in general, see their medical practitioner.

This girl's got a ticket to ride

This last weekend I participated in the Santos Bike Ride, an organised ride for charity through the streets of Perth, out to Fremantle, and back.  A gorgeous loop of 53km around the Swan River, with scenic views and killer hills!!

Setting up the night before

I enjoy riding my bike – I always have.  Ever since my mum and dad used to take my brother and I out for rides around the river, perched in our little people carriers on the back, stack hats on our heads.  I love the outdoors generally and there is something about being on bike that is so different to running (which I also enjoy and am starting to really love the more I do it).

I bought a fancy hybrid bike a couple years ago now, to participate in the BRW Corporate Triathlon that year.  I was embarrassed to ride on my mountain bike amongst everyone else with their fancy road and racing bikes and I desperately wanted to fit in.  Even though I knew at that time in my life I was probably only going to ride it the once in that triathlon (and maybe a couple of training rides beforehand). 

Now, as in the last six months, that bike has been getting the royal treatment.  At the start of winter, my husband bought me a stationary trainer and set up the bike in the loungeroom so I could ride during winter.  It was great.  Those mornings when I struggled to get out of bed because it was dark and cold, and I really didn’t want to drive all the way to the gym, my bike was sitting there waiting in the warmth and comfort of home, right in front of the TV and my favourite shows.  Just half an hour and I would be sweating and feel like I had actually accomplished something.

Recently, I took the bike out for a couple of outdoor rides, which was great.  I have also had the bike serviced, and added a bicycle repair kit (even though I have no idea how to use it and would probably panic if I actually got a flat tyre whilst out riding), and am even considering cleats and those clip-on aero bars ready for triathlon season (first official race is 16 December – quietly freaking out!).

But back to this weekend’s bike ride.  I entered on my own.  Not that I don’t enjoy having someone to talk with pre and post event, but I like to set my own pace and go my own way without feeling like I have to slow down for someone, or more likely, hold someone else back.  I have also found the last few events I did solo, I met other solo people too and although no lasting friendships have formed, there is a sense of solidarity with standing with fellow, like-minded strangers at the starting line and wishing each other good luck – knowing you will probably never see them again.

Getting ready to go!

The ride started out ok.  I had decided I should be able to ride about 25km/hour based on other rides and the regular endure RPM classes I have been doing.  I figured on that pace, I should finish in just over 2 hours.  About 30 minutes in, there was a hill.  I don’t even know what to say about it, other than I think I only saw 3 people of the 50 or so around me actually manage to ride up the whole way (I was not one of them) and one of them wasn’t even riding with his legs – he had one of those sit down bikes where you pedal with your arms (and man he must have had some incredibly strong arms!!).  It didn’t help that when you reached the top there was a big inflatable sign saying ‘King of the Hill’ with half the event photographers standing around taking photos.  Needless to say, I don’t think I will be ordering any of my event photos if that is all they got (me walking up the hill).  I think after that I said to myself – you will not walk up a hill again!  You will plan your gears better and stand up in the saddle if you have to, but you will not get off your bike!

[sidenote: please excuse my shocking lack of knowledge about cycling vernacular – I am still getting used to riding the bike, let alone the terms used in relation to cycling as a sport]

The rest of the ride was awesome!  I cruised around, changing gears, speeding up when I could, coasting when I needed to drink and riding up every other hill along the way.  I found that when I reached about the three quarter mark I suddenly felt really really hungry.  I hadn’t even thought about nutrition during the event or any sort of gels or anything like that (apart from packing a muesli bar to have afterwards).  I hadn’t practised anything like that in training either, which is probably why I didn’t even think of it.  I had plenty of electrolytes, so just kept drinking along the way.  But at the end, when I crossed the finish line, I had to go and sit down for a few minutes and have something to eat and drink because I felt like I was going to pass out!  A lesson learned for next time.

Well earned carbs!

Other lessons learned for next time?

Invest in a pair of padded knicks.  I wore my bike shorts, which get me through an RPM session, or shorter bike rides, but about the 30km mark I realised I couldn’t feel my butt.  I am still having difficulty sitting down today.

Invest in some cleats.  I definitely noticed I was more conscious about using my legs and trying to get the most out of each rotation, pushing down and using bigger gears than I would have ever contemplated 12 months ago (thanks RPM).  But I can see the appeal of cleats, not only for the better connection to your bike, but the advantage of being able to use the pull up motion as well as pushing down to get maximum power.

Move my bike seat.  When I got my bike serviced, the guy said my seat was probably too low.  I didn’t give it a second thought to be honest.  Halfway through the ride, I reached for my water bottle and got a sharp pain right between my shoulder blades.  I think it was the posture and position on the bike that made me so stiff, and I think moving my seat up should help with this.

Make plans for recovery.  As above, I don’t think the muesli bar quite cut it.  I ended up having to stop at Hungry Jacks on the way home for a chicken wrap and even the normally disgusting smells of fat and grease smelled fabulous to me – a sure sign my body was in dire need of some form of sustenance.  The muesli bar was great for carbs, but I think I needed something higher in protein.  I will have to look around at different options, because I don’t eat dairy and nearly every protein bar on the market I have seen contains whey protein!!

Overall, I ended up finishing in 2 hours and 10 minutes - a time I was really happy with.  I also managed to maintain an average pace of about 2 minutes per kilometere!!

The course was supposed to be 53km - not that I'm complaining.  And I'll take that time too.

So, that was my adventure last weekend.  I also did my first 12wbt SSS session, with a girl I met on the forums – we did our own kind of beach bootcamp.  But that’s a story for another time.

What did you get up to on the weekend?

Let's get it started - right here

Welcome. 

If you are reading this then it means I must be dead.

Nah just kidding.  In all honesty, you either stumbled on this by accident, or followed a link from my instagram or 12wbt profile.  Whether the latter was done deliberately out of morbid curiosity, or simply by accident, who knows. 

Regardless of why or how you came to be here, I hope you stay awhile, have a read, follow my journey and share some of yours in the comments along the way.

But to start with – a little about myself, who I am and why I came to be here.

I’m 29 years old, turning the big 3-0 next March.

I have been chained to a desk working full-time as a lawyer since graduating in 2006.  This followed six years at uni completing a double degree in law and psychology.  Whilst I love my job, it is very demanding both mentally and physically (the hours and the time spent desk bound in particular).

In the last six months I have really seriously started to take a look at my lifestyle, my health and fitness and general wellbeing.  Several things have prompted this:

1.       I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disorder about four years ago, which basically means my body attacks itself when it is run down, stressed, tired, etc.  I finally decided it was time to be more proactive in managing this.

2.       I saw photos of myself after a recent trip overseas to visit family and didn’t particularly like what I saw. 

3.       I realised that my metabolism was rapidly slowing down as I neared the end of my twenties.

4.       I realised there were several things on my ‘to do before I’m 30’ bucket list – that I was nowhere near completing (like an Ironman triathlon).

5.       Work was becoming more and more busy and stressful and I realised that not only did I need to re-evaluate my career priorities, but there was no way I was going to be able to achieve any of that unless I also re-evaluated my overall health and wellbeing.

In short, this provided the impetus to sign-up for my first round of Michelle Bridges 12wbt.  According to the advertising it was going to provide me with the tools to change my mindset about getting healthy and taking control of my own fitness destiny.  As a sidebar, it would also provide nutritious weekly meal plans, exercise schedules and hand tips and tricks along the way. 

I have just finished Round 3 – my first round.  Did it deliver?  In a nutshell, yes I think so.  I still have a way to go, and feel like I am only just scratching the surface of both my potential and the whole plethora of clean eating information out there.  But I have enjoyed it enough, and gained so much, that I have decided to sign up for a second round. 

And this is my journey on that second round.  From actually setting realistic goals, to trials and tribulations along the way (hello Christmas, New Year and Australia Day), to being accountable, to (in the wise words of Ms Bridges herself) ‘Just Frickin’ Doing It’!!

I hope you enjoy the ride.