You know I love to share.............

In the interest of sharing & caring I thought I would share with you all my goals for this round of the 12WBT and beyond. I know that over the last 15 months I have set lots of different goals some I have achieved and others I have not. This time around I have tried to make them realistic and achievable. Something I can build on as the year goes on. 

Over all goal weight loss for the next 12months 20 - 30kg 

One Month Goal 

85kg 

1 Diet Coke a week. 

2lt of water a day

How will I achieve it??

No exercise excuses. Follow the meal plan and NO EXTRA SNACKING!!! 

Use water bottles & maybe add lemon when I'm struggling

3 Month Goal
79kg
No Diet Coke
Run out a full game of hockey without asking to come off (this doesn't mean not coming off it just means not putting my hand up because I can't breathe or speak to ask to come off. My team mates will understand this)

How will I achieve it??
being accountable!!! Blogging more.

Training hard and putting in the extra effort. Try different training other then just running.

6 Month Goal
75kg
Run my second half marathon in a better time & head space. No walking

How will I achieve it??
Training, training, training.
Not letting myself fall off the wagon. Stay committed to the programme and not let self doubt and good times throw me off course.

12 Month Goal
70kg
Run or work out 5 days a week NO EXCUSES
Be strong enough to go it alone.

How will I achieve it??
not too sure just yet I will get back to you one that.



These are all very similar to my goals I wrote on my fridge back in January. Just a little more specific and with a time frame attached. And as you can see they aren't all weight loss driven. There are a few other areas that I need to work on. The evil Diet Coke has made it's way comfortably back into my daily life.

 Once this round starts I will blog every week with a recap of the week and go back to sharing my weekly weigh ins. You know how much I LOVE to share.

How do you set goals?? I am always open to suggestions of how others achieve and reach their goals and succeed.

Surviving my first Fun Run!!

I haven't posted for a while and basically that is because there hasn't been a whole to write about. Mostly just boring everyday stuff cooking, cleaning, washing, folding, school stuff & we started hockey training. Yippee 2 hrs a week where I HAVE to exercise & I get to get out of the house!!!

Life was pretty uneventful until today. I did my first 10k Fun Run today. To give you a bit of brackground. I only got back into running at the end of January after a few months of not much. Then to make me actually have something to train for I signed up for my first official fun run.

A few weeks into my 'training' I had a small tear in my hamstring. I was told to rest it for a week. NO RUNNING! So what did I do?? Played Tennis.......cos you don't run when you play tennis right?!?!? Especially when it is Women's Double Championships. I lasted right until our last game when I felt it 'go'. So that meant 3 weeks of no running. One day I am sure I will listen...............well maybe.

Fast forward to today and I found myself standing at the starting line with 2500 other people. I was in the last starting group feeling very lonely and out of place but keen to get going.

All ready to run! 

Off I head feeling confident and scared at the same time. Before we hit the first km mark I have realised 2 things. 1. I need to wee & 2. I don't think that I will ever get used to running with this many people. 

First things first I need to wee!! And my hockey girls know when I have to go I HAVE to go. I did stupidly stop to have a drink at the first water station and nearly choked on it. But that was not the problem it was the cup of tea I had before I left the house that was making every tree or bush look appealing. I was starting to get desperate and as I had never run this course before I had no idea how long it was until I would get some relief. Bit different to running on the farm where you don't even need a tree or bush let alone and actually toilet. 

Finally after about 3 and a bit km there it was!! I have never been so happy to see a toilet!!! 

Problem 2.............People.............fast, slow, talking, groups taking up the whole path etc etc. I spent the first 3km wondering what the hell was going on. I over took a few people then would find someone to sit behind thinking "yep this is a good pace" then they would slow down or speed up. Then I would try to overtake people without getting in others way or cutting in infront of the person I was overtaking. OMG when did running get so hard and require so much thinking???? 

The good news is that once I had done my wee I didn't have to worry too much as the crowd had thinned out. Then the next 7km was a case of me passing people then them passing me then me passing them & them passing me etc etc etc. I ran up until 6km (minus the wee break) from then on it was walking and running.More running then walking. I tried to run the whole of the last km but it was hard work!! It didn't help seeing people who had obviously finished a lot earlier leaving. However some of them were great and offering support & encouragement. 

 The best part was about 10 meters from the finish line I spotted my hubby and little girl. Was so nice to see them and have someone to high five before I crossed the finish line. I looked up as I crossed the line and the clock said 1hr 15min. (my official time will be a little under that as we crossed the start line a few minutes after the clock started.)  My goal was to be under 1hr 20min. So I was stoked. 

My shirt was dripping with sweat & I was exhausted but it was all worth it! 

Now I have about 6 weeks to get ready for my next fun run. The HBF Run for a Reason. It's a 12km run which I am hoping to do in under the 1hr 15min I did today. However that won't be my biggest challenge for that run. My biggest challenge will be running through the Graham Farmer Freeway Tunnell!!! I almost hyperventilate just driving through it. I have no idea how I am going to run through it other then it will be the fastest part of my run!!! Have I mentioned that I am VERY Claustrophobic. 

Things to remember for next time: 

No cups of tea before hand

Wee before you start no matter how long the line up is

Stop to drink unless you want to choke 

Find a way to not chafe under the arms

Also one last thing to remember before doing a big run.............If you get your hair coloured the day before don't wear a white hat. And it was a borrowed hat. Ooops!!  

Reality Check

So time for a reality check and update. Since I stopped posting my weekly weigh in results things have been pretty below average. Basically I have been yo-yoing between around 88kg and 90kg. When I last shared my weight it was 87.2kg.

This is around 5kg more then my lowest weight last year. I got down to around 84kg. As you can imagine I am noticing my clothes are tighter and not fitting as nicely. Did someone say Muffin Top!!

I know what the problem is.............FOOD!!! I love food and while my diet has improved and I am trying lots of different yummy foods I just can't seem to get my mind back into the place it was this time last year. I can't seem to stop snacking or be satisfied with what I put on my plate.

I am back exercising so that is helping but I need to STOP snacking!!! I have been doing a lot of baking lately for the kids lunch boxes and I have been pretty good at not eating wheat I am baking. I tend to put it straight into the freezer to avoid me eating it. I have been snacking on things like hard boiled eggs, leftover cold meat from roasts, BREAD, mountain bread covered in margarine & honey is one of my current favourites.

After dinner also seems to be my other down fall. We are eating earlier so that we can eat together as a family. Previously Mark and I would eat at about 7:30pm once the kids were in bed. Now we are eating at 6:30pm with the kids. It's great and I love it but I find that at about 8pm I feel hungry again. Actually not that's not really true I think it is more that I am bored.

That is part of my problem during the day too. If I am busy I don't snack but as soon as I stop I feel like I have to have something. And once I have one thing to eat I tend to have a bit more. Old habits are sneaking back in!!

So what now????????? Well I don't really know but I do know that I don't like the way my clothes are fitting and I am the only person who can change that. I also know that I have done it before so I can do it again.

Decisions...........Decisions?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

For the last probably 2 yrs there is something that has been on my mind. And very recently I can not stop thinking about it. One day the answer is yes the next the answer is no. It not a decision that can be taken lightly as it will have a massive impact on not just my life but my whole family. It's not just my decision it is something hubby and I have to be in total agreement about or it will never happen.

So what is the BIG decision??? Well if you haven't already worked it out...........Do we have another baby or not?? We already have 3 beautiful, healthy, mostly happy kids. We have Lachlan 7, Molly 5(almost 6) & Amelia 2 (almost 3). I know some of you think that I am crazy for even contemplating it and maybe I am. I think I am crazy most days but that is a WHOLE other blog post.

The thing is if we are going to do it I feel like we need to do it in the next probably 6 months. For a few reasons: We aren't getting any younger, (I know 33/34 is not old and a lot of people haven't even started their families at our age) we don't want a bigger age gap then 4yrs, because of the weird school age cut offs in WA we want to have it in the first half of the year (which gives me until September).

I come from a family of 5 kids so there are a lot of us, we are loud, we fight, we laugh, we drive eachother crazy but there is nothing better then when we are all together and the cousins are all playing together even though they range in age from 18 to 2. They all get along and the older ones are great babysitters with the younger ones. I do have one sister who isn't really involved in the family but that is a whole other story. So it is just 4 of us and our families who get together for Christmases, birthdays etc etc

So what are the pros & cons...........There are too many to list as I am sure you can imagine things like finances, daily life, possibility of twins, starting again etc etc. And very selfishly it would mean things like weekends away either for hockey trips or just us as a couple would be no existent. It's hard enough getting someone to look after 3 kids let alone 4.

Thing is I just don't feel like I am DONE. Hubby goes back and forth too. I ask him and he says he doesn't know so to me that means yes there is still hope. And at the moment it is consuming me. To the point where last night I dreamt that I had a baby boy.

Maybe I was always be 'clucky' and maybe one more will always be how I feel. But I think you know when you are done and I am just not there yet. Although ask me at about 5pm on any given day and the answer is sure to be Hell YES I AM DONE!!!! Or at 6am on a Sunday after a night out. Oh that's right no more nights out with 4 kids.

Am I crazy??  I guess time will tell............

Work (out) / Life balance

This is something I was struggling with a few weeks ago before a small hamstring tear made me slow down and REST. In the few weeks for before that hubby was leaving for very early (5am) and I was having to do my running in the evening. Which was working fine. I would leave the house between 5:30 & 6pm for about 45 min. Whilst I was gone hubby would give the kids their tea and a bath. I would be home in time for bed time. All was good.

Until the kids started asking if we could eat together again. This is something that we kind of lost over the holidays. Talk about mothers guilt!! I love running at the end of the day as it gives me that break you need at the end of the day. It clears my head and is the only time of day I don't have someone with me.

It got me thinking though. I am one of the first people to say happy wife/mum happy life. And that me taking care of my health is for the benefit of the whole family. But at what cost?? Is it worth missing out of having dinner with the kids or spending time playing out on the trampoline with them???

 This V's

This 

So how do you strike the right balance?? That is a question that will probably never be answered.

Now that hubby is back to normal hours I can work out in the mornings. I do struggle to get out of bed early. I used to be a morning person and had no problem getting up early. Just ask my cousin who was NOT a morning person. She was a night owl and I was an early bird which made sleep overs interesting. I used to be one of those annoyingly happy people in the morning. Now once I'm up I'm all good it's just the getting up that I struggle with.

Now that winter sport is starting to happen......well my hockey training has started and football is likely to start before we know it along with dancing on Wednesdays. It means no family meals for 3 days a week. So I guess it's early morning runs for me. Which I guess gives me a chance to clear my head and start the day off on the right note. I mean I am the first to admit I can get out of bed grumpy but I have never come back from a run grumpy.

Is there such a thing as trying too hard???

I have had a fantastic week. I have been on track with my running even fitting in a run on Wednesday at lunch time. Wednesday is normally a no run day as I am at kids dancing all afternoon and not home until just before 8pm.

I have been on track with my nutrition. I haven't been snacking and I have been having smaller portions. I even avoided the hot dogs my kids had for tea on Wednesday night on the way home from dancing.I have 2 eggs on toast when I got home. I had very yummy chicken salad for lunch Tuesday & Wednesday using the left over chicken from our roast chicken on Monday night. I even avoiding eating any of the yummy chocolate loaf cake I made for the kids lunch boxes this week. I may have licked the icing off my fingers when I was cutting it up.

So when I stood on the scales yesterday morning as I do every morning and saw that I had gained 400grams since Monday I was not happy to say the least!!!! I was FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like it's one step forward two steps back. I was down all day but didn't pig out and stuck to healthy food. It just really took the wind out of my sails as I really thought I was doing great.

When hubby came home he asked what was wrong and I told him about what was happening with the scales. He said "I know you don't want to hear this but maybe you are trying too hard." I didn't snap at him I thought about what he said and maybe he is right. Maybe I am trying too hard. Maybe I need to take it one day at a time and focus each day rather then look at the week or month or year.

I am sure if I shift my focus the weight loss will come. At the moment I am trying to focus on my running. I need to bump up my training so that I can do the 10km fun run I have signed up for in April. My goal is to run the 10km without walking. We are in Perth this weekend so I am planning to do the bridges on Sunday morning. I want to run as much of it as I can and see how long it takes me. I am hoping to be able to run at least 7km before I need to walk but it will just depend on how late my Saturday night is.

So that is where I am at at the moment. If I had written this post yesterday it would have been a very different post. But my wonderful hubby put things into perspective. He also left me a wonderful little surprise this morning when he left for work at 5am.

Roses & Tea my 2 favourite things 

Inspiration can be just down the road........

There are lots of people who inspire me in lots of different ways. But recently a good friend of mine has inspired me in a whole new way. Michelle is doing an amazing thing for no other reason then to help others. She has registered for the 'The Sunsuper Ride to Conquer Cancer' a 200km ride over 2 days in October. 

She is doing it because she wants to help and what better way then to raise money for research so they can find a cure for this horrible disease. She has her new bike and has started her training. She will be making her own sacrifices along the way.  Being is a mum of 3 amazing boys who also works on the family farm, training takes her time away from these two things that she loves. She is a fantastic hockey player and is (at this stage) giving up playing for the year incase she injures her knee and can't do the ride. But these are small compared to what those going through cancer and their families miss out on and give up. 

"As we know there are many people struggling with cancer today
and although I can offer help I just always feel like I can't do
enough. Until now. I'm not a scientist and can't find a cure on my
own, but I can and will be participating in an event called The
Sunsuper Ride to Conquer Cancer® benefiting the Harry Perkins
Institute of Medical Research, Western Australia’s premier adult
medical research institute. Through this event, I can help prevent
other families from having to struggle with this disease."

This is a quote from Michelle in an e mail she sent out to all her friend and family. 

On Sunday afternoon we returned from a quick day trip to Perth at 4:30pm and Michelle was riding her bike past our house. Given that our houses are almost 20km apart and it was 38degrees I was again inspired by her determination. So once the shopping was unpacked and it had cooled down a bit I went out for a run. I had a great run and ran further then I have for a long time. I am inspired to run again and to make it a part of my life. 

If ever I feel like I can't be bothered running I just need to think of what Michelle is doing and think about all those who would give anything to be able to be healthy and active. Or have their family members be out there running with them. It is such a great cause and I am so proud to call Michelle my friend and offer her all the support I can. 

If you would like to donate to her ride please follow the link below. Her aim is to raise $5000. I am sure she will raise this and much more.  

http://www.conquercancer.org.au/site/TR?px=1408610&pg=personal&fr_id=1142&et=PRKu5_suqfXseMav0t69HQ&s_tafId=24497