Hmm if only I was covered in fur and resembled a Polar Bear - maybe then this blasted cold weather wouldn't make it so incredibly difficult to stay on track with my PT sessions.
You know you agree with me: it's hard to be motivated to go out first thing in the morning and get your exercise on when it feels like the ends of your lady lumps could be used by career criminals to break into jewellery store display cases without leaving a mess.
It also doesn't help when, once the alarm goes off, hubby rolls over sticks his arm out and asks innocently: "cuddles?" Especially when he's body temperature is always at a toasty 37 degrees.
Still, I tried to persevere though admittedly last week I spent more time jogging / power walking than focusing my efforts on targeted PT bits and pieces. So this morning I thought I'd get back in to it , and after a brisk 5 minute walk around the block, wandered out into my front yard with my little purple weights, and bright green toning band ready to wave bye bye to the banana wings.
At this point I should note I have no fence around my house and as many of you know my house is actually a unit so my efforts are being broadcast to anyone else stupid enough to be out in an almost-winters morning at 6am.
I lasted about 15 minutes by the standing still pumping my arms and lunging to the ground wasn't really holding my interest (honestly, does it hold anyone's?) so finished with a jog around the block.
Still wanting to get into the PT habit, I've decided to actually start using a PT 'game' (for want of a better word) I brought for the PS3 sometime last year. Called "My Fitness Coach Club" it promises to be "THE perfect place to create tailor-made training sessions," and I will have my own personal coach with me every step of the way.
I don't care if it is essentially make-believe, if my coach is some bobby, blonde with pert boobs, no waist and a butt to die for, I may throw the controller through the TV.
Though isn't that what I'm essentially striving for?
Monday, 16 April 2012
Monday, 9 April 2012
Catering for the Masses
Happy Easter everyone!!
In an attempt to truly live up to my "avoiding jars and packets" pledge this Easter, I wanted to make home-made Easter eggs for the seven people we have visiting us this year, and have a bit of a decorating day on Good Friday: hubby nixed that idea immediately.
Instead, I turned my sights to catering for a day-long picnic or 'grazing' session as I like to call it, whipping up some turkish-inspired dips to take along to the park with us, however it seemed sensible to buy the french sticks to cut up to go with them as opposed to trying to bake one myself!
So the Thursday before the troops arrived I had the day off work and spent the better part of four or so hours turning my kitchen into a cooking-inspired construction site as I roasted, grated, sliced, diced and pureed my way through eggplants, carrots & beetroot for the three beautiful looking dips you see below: Beetroot Dip, Baba Ganoush & Carrot Dip
I should also mention 1 actually making the Tahini paste for my Baba Ganoush from scratch too, so there were sesame seeds everywhere at one point.
Not only were the dips a hit with the adults - the kids really just preferred butter on their bits of bread - they've lasted for three days and taste just as good as they did on day one!
I think I may be on to a winner here :-)
Thursday, 5 April 2012
Working out from Scratch
This month is all about getting back to basics and starting things from scratch, however neither activity actually appears on my list of vices and experiences: they both came to me during the last month and like most people, when I find out about something new, I'm impatient to try it.
Giving-Up: Cooking from jars and packets
This is all about embracing my inner Masterchef. I'm never been particularly enamoured with cooking, but over time I've found myself pushing my boundaries and trying things a little bit more: it helps when hubby is a willing guinea pig.
In doing so though, I've always felt a little guilty that when the recipe calls for thinly sliced vegetables, julienne carrots or similar, instead of preparing the vegies myself, I always reach for the frozen already-prepared variety. True, I'm a relatively busy woman who doesn't always have time to prepare things properly, plus frozen vegies are proven to have just as much nutritional value as fresh ones, but there's still that niggling voice in the back of mind that says "you cheated."
So, this month my mission is to abandon the jars of sauces, packets of vegies and cartons of stock when cooking and make them all myself. Yes, it has been mentioned to me I could avoid this all by just having meat and three veg every night but that seems a tad boring.
I started out straight away, making a red wine jus to go with a (admittedly slightly over-cooked) rib eye fillet for Sunday night dinner, the results of which are below: not a bad first go if you ask me!
Taking-Up: Personal Training
Now, I'm not going to be going to a personal trainer, but I've seen so many Facebook posts from friends who are undertaking their own PT sessions that I felt inclined to give it a go, taking inspiration from the circuits I used to do when I DID see a trainer a few years ago.
Plus, I start netball in three weeks and I'm not feeling as fit as I'd like.
I started bright and early Monday morning with the following circuit:
Giving-Up: Cooking from jars and packets
This is all about embracing my inner Masterchef. I'm never been particularly enamoured with cooking, but over time I've found myself pushing my boundaries and trying things a little bit more: it helps when hubby is a willing guinea pig.
In doing so though, I've always felt a little guilty that when the recipe calls for thinly sliced vegetables, julienne carrots or similar, instead of preparing the vegies myself, I always reach for the frozen already-prepared variety. True, I'm a relatively busy woman who doesn't always have time to prepare things properly, plus frozen vegies are proven to have just as much nutritional value as fresh ones, but there's still that niggling voice in the back of mind that says "you cheated."
So, this month my mission is to abandon the jars of sauces, packets of vegies and cartons of stock when cooking and make them all myself. Yes, it has been mentioned to me I could avoid this all by just having meat and three veg every night but that seems a tad boring.
I started out straight away, making a red wine jus to go with a (admittedly slightly over-cooked) rib eye fillet for Sunday night dinner, the results of which are below: not a bad first go if you ask me!
Taking-Up: Personal Training
Now, I'm not going to be going to a personal trainer, but I've seen so many Facebook posts from friends who are undertaking their own PT sessions that I felt inclined to give it a go, taking inspiration from the circuits I used to do when I DID see a trainer a few years ago.
Plus, I start netball in three weeks and I'm not feeling as fit as I'd like.
I started bright and early Monday morning with the following circuit:
- Brisk 5-minute walk around the block to warm up
- 60 jumps with a skipping rope
- 10 standing push-ups
- 10 lunges per leg
- 30 arm pumps with weights per arm
- 10 sit ups
I did four lots of each before finishing with 10 minutes of stretching.
I felt good once I'd finished, ready and willing to start the day though hubby has suggested that next time I skip I do it away from our bedroom window.
I didn't feel so good the next day though!
Saturday, 31 March 2012
Which political party do you belong to?
Not sure how accurate this is, but stumbled across this little quiz this morning, based off one previously developed by John Humphries and coded by Sam Ward and Kirk Fletcher.
Give it a go - I was surprised where I ended up
Australian Political Party Quiz - http://ldp.org.au/quiz/index.html#test
Give it a go - I was surprised where I ended up
Australian Political Party Quiz - http://ldp.org.au/quiz/index.html#test
Thursday, 29 March 2012
Politics is like sport
I haven't undertaken as much in-depth research into our political parties and their belief systems as I may have initially intended, but I have realised one thing.
Politics is just like sport: it's all about the team until something goes wrong then it's the coach's fault.
I've always had an issue with coaches getting sacked for poor team performance. They're not the ones constantly dropping the ball, giving away penalties, missing goals and ultimately losing the game, so why do they suffer the consequences?
I apply the same logic when voting for political parties.
Now of course the leader of a political party has to have a certain amount of gumption, be believable, partly likable and not sound like a flanno-wearing bogan when they talk (sorry J-Gill but it's true) , but what we really vote for on election day isn't the person, but the policies.
At least it should be.
One person does not a government make.
Think about it. Like a sporting coach, the leader of a political party needs to be aware of what each of their players is doing at any one time, and they need to make sure that those actions don't a) impede the subsequent/concurrent actions of their team mates, and b) don't give the opposition the chance to make a break and score.
And this doesn't just apply to the elected members of the political party, remember that all federal government public servants essentially become part of the party in power's 'team' following a election, so suddenly the coach becomes not just in charge of the top 11, but the support staff, hangers-on and #1 fans.
Bear in mind also that when you see a political leader delivering a speech on a chosen topic, the speech will have been written by someone else, and the work the speech is based on undertaken by different people again - generally specialists in the particular field - , plus the work may even have been started and commissioned when the opposition was in power.
At the end of the day, the more I consider it, read about it, and am exposed to it, the more I want people to vote for policies not people, because at the end of the day, it's the policies that impact our lives not the people -
The same way we remember that grand final game instead of the all the people who played it.
Politics is just like sport: it's all about the team until something goes wrong then it's the coach's fault.
I've always had an issue with coaches getting sacked for poor team performance. They're not the ones constantly dropping the ball, giving away penalties, missing goals and ultimately losing the game, so why do they suffer the consequences?
I apply the same logic when voting for political parties.
Now of course the leader of a political party has to have a certain amount of gumption, be believable, partly likable and not sound like a flanno-wearing bogan when they talk (sorry J-Gill but it's true) , but what we really vote for on election day isn't the person, but the policies.
At least it should be.
One person does not a government make.
Think about it. Like a sporting coach, the leader of a political party needs to be aware of what each of their players is doing at any one time, and they need to make sure that those actions don't a) impede the subsequent/concurrent actions of their team mates, and b) don't give the opposition the chance to make a break and score.
And this doesn't just apply to the elected members of the political party, remember that all federal government public servants essentially become part of the party in power's 'team' following a election, so suddenly the coach becomes not just in charge of the top 11, but the support staff, hangers-on and #1 fans.
Bear in mind also that when you see a political leader delivering a speech on a chosen topic, the speech will have been written by someone else, and the work the speech is based on undertaken by different people again - generally specialists in the particular field - , plus the work may even have been started and commissioned when the opposition was in power.
At the end of the day, the more I consider it, read about it, and am exposed to it, the more I want people to vote for policies not people, because at the end of the day, it's the policies that impact our lives not the people -
The same way we remember that grand final game instead of the all the people who played it.
Friday, 23 March 2012
The best laid plans...
So I had to go walking through a shopping centre with hubby tonight and while he browsed the aisles I followed checking prices for him, but not really paying attention as I sort of felt like I was already cheating on the whole no shopping thing.
Then while we're in Target, I see the new book series 'The Hunger Games' and mentioned that I wouldn't mind seeing what all the fuss is about and reading them. On sale for a 'good price' hubby decided he would buy them for me as therefore I wouldn't be breaking my no shopping vow.
Things are going swimmingly, we get to the check out and wouldn't you know it, hubby runs into a woman he used to work with.
I should point out now that like his shopping ability, my hubby also gasbags like a woman and before I knew it, the snake-like queue had disappeared and I'm at the front of it with a blonde,over-mascara'd 16 yr old tapping her foot impatiently calling out 'next!'
What a dilemma I'm in. My first thought was simply to tell her to get over herself as no-one with the patience to apply that much eye make-up should have an issue waiting for a slightly unawares customer to get her bearings together and find her purse, but common sense took over and I wandered forward, looked around guiltily, dug out my purse, dropped my FlyBuys card, paid with cash and made a hasty retreat out of the store, receipt flailing behind me.
Hubby appeared at my side 10 minutes later blissfully unaware of the turmoil he put me through - damn him!
Then while we're in Target, I see the new book series 'The Hunger Games' and mentioned that I wouldn't mind seeing what all the fuss is about and reading them. On sale for a 'good price' hubby decided he would buy them for me as therefore I wouldn't be breaking my no shopping vow.
Things are going swimmingly, we get to the check out and wouldn't you know it, hubby runs into a woman he used to work with.
I should point out now that like his shopping ability, my hubby also gasbags like a woman and before I knew it, the snake-like queue had disappeared and I'm at the front of it with a blonde,over-mascara'd 16 yr old tapping her foot impatiently calling out 'next!'
What a dilemma I'm in. My first thought was simply to tell her to get over herself as no-one with the patience to apply that much eye make-up should have an issue waiting for a slightly unawares customer to get her bearings together and find her purse, but common sense took over and I wandered forward, looked around guiltily, dug out my purse, dropped my FlyBuys card, paid with cash and made a hasty retreat out of the store, receipt flailing behind me.
Hubby appeared at my side 10 minutes later blissfully unaware of the turmoil he put me through - damn him!
Wednesday, 21 March 2012
Life getting in the way of progress
Halfway through the month and only now do I get around to updating the lovely folk on my progress with this month's challenge.
Between visiting Senators, travelling for work, cricket semi finals, netball trials, getting my nails done and being bailed up with a rotten cold, I haven't undertaken too much research on my quest to make fully informed decisions and opinions around politics. I have however been fortunate - if you can call it that - to have a front row seat to a political process at work which is part fascinating, part mind-boggling.
Recently, the Federal Government announced that the agency I work for will be extended beyond it's 'sunset clause' to continue the work we're undertaking across the country, albeit with slightly different roles and functions to how we currently operate. In order for this extension to legally occur, amended legislation needs to be tabled, and passed through the Senate.
What I hadn't fully appreciated before now, is that not all pieces of legislation are written by pollies, Ministers, or Senators trying to get their own agendas on the public scene: no, some are written by the men and women who actually have to undertake the work the legislation is putting in place.
My colleagues in this particular instance.
So before you criticise something new that has been passed by those in power, stop and think about where this may actually have come from? Did it come from Politicians trying to get one up on their opposite number, or was it developed by people who do something beneficial for the country, and although you may not fully understand it, this new piece of legislation will actually help them do their job better?
On the flip-side, no shopping has been surprisingly easy. Probably because I've had so many work functions I've had to buy stuff for I haven't had the time, patience or inclination to shop for pleasure or necessity.
I'm pleased to report though that hubby has managed to follow my shopping lists with high accuracy and hasn't actually made a phone call to me while doing it. Progress? I think so, though just because he isn't calling me to check something doesn't mean he isn't calling his mother...
Hmm, best check the phone log I think ;-)
Between visiting Senators, travelling for work, cricket semi finals, netball trials, getting my nails done and being bailed up with a rotten cold, I haven't undertaken too much research on my quest to make fully informed decisions and opinions around politics. I have however been fortunate - if you can call it that - to have a front row seat to a political process at work which is part fascinating, part mind-boggling.
Recently, the Federal Government announced that the agency I work for will be extended beyond it's 'sunset clause' to continue the work we're undertaking across the country, albeit with slightly different roles and functions to how we currently operate. In order for this extension to legally occur, amended legislation needs to be tabled, and passed through the Senate.
What I hadn't fully appreciated before now, is that not all pieces of legislation are written by pollies, Ministers, or Senators trying to get their own agendas on the public scene: no, some are written by the men and women who actually have to undertake the work the legislation is putting in place.
My colleagues in this particular instance.
So before you criticise something new that has been passed by those in power, stop and think about where this may actually have come from? Did it come from Politicians trying to get one up on their opposite number, or was it developed by people who do something beneficial for the country, and although you may not fully understand it, this new piece of legislation will actually help them do their job better?
On the flip-side, no shopping has been surprisingly easy. Probably because I've had so many work functions I've had to buy stuff for I haven't had the time, patience or inclination to shop for pleasure or necessity.
I'm pleased to report though that hubby has managed to follow my shopping lists with high accuracy and hasn't actually made a phone call to me while doing it. Progress? I think so, though just because he isn't calling me to check something doesn't mean he isn't calling his mother...
Hmm, best check the phone log I think ;-)
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