How i've been fitting it in.... Bernie Style

Well, to be honest, I haven't.
My excuses?

1. No time.
2. No sleep.

Imagine a ZOMBIE on a SCHEDULE. That's me.

www.zombieinfo.com

If you can be bothered reading my crappy selection of why, feel free, it's diarised below.

I am running on empty, due to lack of sleep and each day's plan of beginning the day with a 45 minute exercise bike ride has come to pass just once this fortnight. The other days? I've slept through my alarm and woken up with 40 minutes to get myself ready and out the door to work. I've missed yoga for a few weeks, because when I went when I was tired, I fell asleep. It was embarrassing and I don't plan to do it again. I missed it for two weeks prior to that because I had a terrible viral infection and was bedridden for half a week, lethargic the week before that.

My week:

Sunday:
I worked out on the exercise bike, which was a pretty good start to the day. I ate well and made good choices, unfortunately I couldn't sleep at all that night. My husband was away, and our unsavoury neighbours were screaming and carrying on. Not a good start to the week.

Monday:
I woke up exhausted, slept through my alarm and didn't go to yoga that night because I was so, so, so tired. I would have fallen asleep (i've done it before). Unfortunately, that night I didn't sleep either. I woke up all night.

Tuesday:
I woke up exhausted, slept through my alarm and didn't have time to exercise before work like I'd planned. I knew I was going out that night, so I'd set my alarm for 5:15, but woke at 6:20 (I start work at 7:30, 40 minutes away from home). I went straight from work to see my mum. Her father died. We went to Sizzler for dinner and I had a steak for dinner, with sweet potato fries and brocolini. I didn't make any stupid choices because I couldn't. I got home at about 11pm.

Wednesday:
Woke up tired, slept through alarm, got to work on time but... tired. I had book club that night. I ended up leaving work late, had to stop by the shops on the way home and by the time I got home, I had very little time to spare. My husband rang me from overseas, and we had a good chat. Getting to book club meant NO time to exercise. I had to water our garden.

Thursday:
Woke up after NO sleep. Ran on empty all day. Had long standing plans to hang with my sister after work, but before seeing her I had an appointment in the city. Sigh. No time for exercise, but beautifully I FINALLY got a full nights sleep. Yes, I fell asleep on her couch from pure exhaustion and stayed the night there.

Friday:
I felt perfect and fresh, but - you guessed it, I had NO time for exercise that morning, as I had to drive home from her place (it took 1 hour to drive home), and I had to attend a morning conference after doing some academic reading.  Friday afternoon I did household chores, did some gardening, did some grocery shopping and then went to dance class (I burn nearly 1000 calories on a Friday night at dance, so it's 'incidental' exercise and also fun). I picked up my husband that night.

Saturday and Sunday, I literally filled with household chores. I know I could have fit some exercise in there somewhere, but chose to spend my time between laundry loads and shopping trips, catching up on reading. Sunday I did more laundry, went shopping and then had a bunch of social events to attend. It was a bad weekend exercise wise!

Don't worry peeps, I know lethargy can only be combatted by good sleep which goes hand in hand with exercise. I also know that life happens, and keeping a house hold running as well as finding time for you can be tough (particuarly when life throws you incidentals). I'm going to try harder, because I have to, for me.

Getting past the busyness of life

Do what it takes to get to where you want to be.

Let your yes be yes and your no be no.

Be a woman of your word.

These are all part of my personal philosophy, for lack of a better word. I started out this year with a workout in Mawson's park on New Years Day with Bernie, Lesley and Toni. Lesley and I had been sitting with our Perth Crew girls after the New Years Eve run and it must have been about 11pm by this stage, and we didn't have plans for new years day. We weren't drinking and we decided to get together for a workout. So we did...and this is how my year is working out for me! 6kg lost so far this year (since Dec 28 weigh in) and a dress size as well - now able to buy clothes in a size 14 and so excited for this round!

I often get comments from people about how much I do and that they just don't have time to exercise, so I thought I would demonstrate how I am fitting in my exercise around my crazy life. I'm not doing as much as I did in January when I was on holidays, but I am still training 6 days a week.

I work full time as a music teacher and Head of House at my school, I run my own business self-publishing music workbooks and I am studying (doing my masters externally online). So, I know about busy lifestyles but I also know that if I don't exercise I just won't lose the weight, I will become depressed, I will eat more and I will be so tired all the time and the cycle just begins again. Well, I'm not going back there!

Sarah's SUPER Saturday :)
So, yesterday was a pretty crazy day for me. My day started with catching up with Erin and Carolyn from the Perth Crew (and it was Erin's first time at a Perth Crew event so I was stoked to see her!) for ocean swimming training at Hillarys Nodes. Then I came home and made my awesome ricotta pancakes for breakfast (at 150 calories for 2 pancakes why say no??); organised the five orders I was sending out to schools and then did the post office and bank run (like I can get to a bank during the week!!!). Then it was lunchtime :)

The afternoon consisted of meeting Nat for a workout. I picked her up (only about 4mins late...I was very impressed with myself) and we headed off to Arena for PUMP! Being the crazy chicks that we are, pump was not going to be enough so we had planned to do an hour of cardio in the gym afterwards. So...10 minutes on the bike, 15 on the crosstrainer (both on foothills) then 5 mins on the rower and 15 mins on the treadmill (where I ran for 15 mins straight!).

So, now it is 4pm and I was meeting another Perth Crew awesome chick Nicole at 5:30pm in the city so I dropped Nat home, showered changed and glammed up for the school ball I was going to after coffee...Made it into the city basically on time and had a great time catching up with Nicole (so love meeting people for coffee and getting to share stories!) and then over to the ball I went!

6:30pm until midnight I was 'on duty' at the school ball and I had a great time. I made good choices from the buffet (filled most of my plate with green salad, a bit of cous cous and then salmon) and only had fruit for dessert. No softdrink, no cakes, no creamy pasta or potato salad - all the things that in the past I would have had (especially seeing I had worked so hard at the gym).

So that was Saturday...today I made the mistake of not exercising when I woke up - in hindsight I should have just gone for a walk to clear my head! But, I met up with the Perth Crew for the WAMC twilight run and got a new PB for 5km with a head wind...so I'm pretty impressed with that.

So, what does my week look like this week?

Monday - early rehearsal at school 7:30am and a meeting after school until around 5pm
WORKOUT PLAN: Early walk or run (depending how I pull up) and then my lean and fit weights session after work.

Tuesday - SWIMMING CARNIVAL DAY! Workout plan - cycling to and from school, possibly with a 3km run before hand (did this last week and loved it!)

Wednesday - early rehearsal at school 7:30am. Workout plan - Lean and fit weights at 6am. Massage booked with the AWESOME Tara Mitchell from Dynamic Massage and Fitness and then the weekly dinner with mum and gran.

Thursday - Excursion to a concert in the evening. Workout plan - 5.6km run at 6am followed by cycling to and from school (10km each way).

Friday - MY BIRTHDAY!!!!! Nat and I are having a special PT session with my trainer at 6am. I get to leave school at lunchtime to fly to Sydney for the long weekend.

Amongst that schedule (which includes working from approx. 8am-5pm each day) I will be doing about an hour of readings/forum discussions/course work for my ICT units. So, I think you can see that I know busy...but I choose to work in my exercise and make sure I'm eating well. Most of my friends just expect it of me now and rather than just ask what I've been up to, I get asked what training I've been doing...I think that says a lot about where I am at now.

Upcoming events in the life of Sarah...stay tuned for more craziness!

March 2-5: Visit to Sydney for long weekend. Workout plans - hotel gym, running at bondi, opera house steps...
March 10: Birthday dinner with my friends (with a killer SSS before that you can count on!)
March 11: Rottnest cycling and snorkling
March 18: Freeway Bike Hike - 70km from Mandurah to Perth
March 25: Triathlon (250m/10km/2km)
April 1: Bridges Fun Run - 10km

So...now that I've exhausted you with my crazy life...get moving people!

Sarah

Sarah's STRENGTH goals

So this year is all about strength for me and like many Perth crew girls, I have a leather pandora bracelet with the first letter S.

To earn the other letters I have come up with some goals, and the first one will be achieved this Sunday when I compete in a TRIATHLON! I am doing the Women's Triathlon at Hillarys where I will swim 300m, cycle 7km and run 3km.

The letters won't be achieved in order (because I needed to find letters for specific goals...because I'm a bit special like that) so the word may look interesting at times! All my goals will test my strength of will to complete or to get to but I am up for the challenge!

My other goals are:

S
T - Triathlon (February)
R - Run 10km (Bridges 1 April)
E - Endurance ride (70km) Freeway Bike Hike (March)
N - Never Give Up - Round 1 Finale in Melbourne (it was hard to find an N word...and that is a catch phrase for me!)
G - Goal weight (60kg)
T - Tunnel Run - HBF Run for a Reason 14km (May)
H - Half Marathon x2 (Perth and Melbourne!)

Goal 1: Triathlon = COMPLETE!!!!

Watch my video blog!




 Official times...

My run pace was 4:29!!!! No wonder I was hurting! My time trial was 5:51 for 1 km and I did 3 in 13:28!!! So stoked with that!


Photos of the Tri (will be updated as I get more, so y'all come back now ya hear?!)

Before the race - Perth Crew girls

Crazy transition

Off for the cycle

Cycle - done!

Crossing the finishing line (Toni is 2 behind me!)

FINISHED!!!

Day 1

Wow, what a day!

Check out the video below, and there are some photos to start off the round (in my M or size 14 clothes!)

Friday 10/2                                                                                           Monday 13/2

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsj0CVhCxQg

Fitness Test revelations

Well today we had the NOR Fitness Test at Carine Open Space. Lesley, as always, was super organised and with the help of the awesome Toni we got things going!

It was so great to see people doing their fitness test together and owning their results. I was timing the wall sit and push ups and there were some great results! Our champion wall sit for the day was Tarryn with 7:13! My legs were in so much pain doing the wall sit and my goal was to get over 2 minutes. In round 3 I did 1:37 and I mainly wanted to beat that. Well, I made it to 2:32 with the girls telling me I looked really comfortable and I said to them "You get to the point in your training where you refuse to give up" and that really was me today.



I've never done push ups on my toes in my fitness test before so today I gave it a go. I basically did the same amount of push ups in the minute but with the first 10 on my toes. My goal for week 4 is to do them all on my toes!

The time trial was the biggest revelation for me. Now, I know I have been doing a lot of running but generally I am fairly slow. My 1km time trial is obviously always faster than my average pace when doing a 5km run but I haven't done much 'fast' running lately so wasn't expecting a PB. Well, in round 3 I got my time down to 6:19 from 7:02 (round 2 was over 8 minutes) and today when I crossed the line Toni said 5:51. My response was 'what?' several times as she kept telling me the time. I just couldn't believe I had cracked the 6 minute mark!

My flexibility has improved as well (remarkably so!) with my sit and reach going from -10 to +16! I guess doing some yoga, making sure I stretch well and going to get pummeled by Tara has helped!

Overall the afternoon was an amazing success! It was great to see so many there, newbies and return members.

So...Round 1 is upon us in about 36 hours and I am ready to go! I'm really excited about doing Lean and Fit (don't really qualify according to fitness test results but I know I can do more than the intermediate program) with some of the running sessions from the 10km running program.

I'll be in Melbourne for week 9 of the program or thereabouts, on a school trip and I am going to make sure I am in great shape for that trip!

Until the next time you read my random ramblings...


Sarah

Gear up! Bernie Style.

This year I am going to try a few different methods!

1. Outdoors - I am going to learn to run.


2. Indoors - a) Exercise bike each morning before work (30 minutes?)
                   b) Zumba! Well, I think I should make use of my lovely new open lounge room right?

3. Classes - yoga for stretching. Once or twice a week.


4. Dance class! - several hours of class and social dance can burn hundreds of calories! I shall endeavour to participate in as many progressive dances as possible. Fun and fitness!



And as for toning... hrm... what things should I buy for this? Some weights perhaps? Some insight would be great.

2012 goals. Bernie Style!

My goals this year are the same as always - wanting to regain health and fitness and to lose excess weight. It is always disappointing to look back at a year and not have achieved the goals set previously. I am determined this year to not look back with regret.


Here's what I want from this year:

Overall goal of 35 kilos lost.

My goals for the next 12 months

1 Month Goals

At the end of one month, I want to be able to run 1 kilometre without stopping.
I want to regain my fitness

How I Will Get There

Follow the learn to run program
Maintain 30-60 minutes of cardio exercise per day (aim to burn 500cals).

3 Month Goals

At the end of three months I want to be able to run 3 kilometres without stopping.

How I Will Get There

Follow the learn to run program.
Book and run the HBF Run for a reason.
60 minutes cardio per day (aim 500-1000cals per day)

6 Month Goals

I want to be able to run 5k without stopping.
I want to lose 35 kilos by now.

How I Will Get There

Continue the learn to run program.
60 minutes cardio per day (aim 500-1000cals per day).

12 Month Goals

I want to have a body that is fit and healthy, ready to start a family.

How I Will Get There

peristance and continued maintainance of nutritional eating plan and cardio.

Preseason Task 1 & 2: VIDEO BLOG

Hi guys

Check out our video blog for Preseason tasks 1 and 2.

Enjoy :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mi8F2oZug5s

Sarah and Bernie

Pre Season Bernie blog: Why I think 12WBT = success.

Hi I'm Bernie.

I decided to sign up for 12WBT with Sarah, mid last year. It felt like a fun, safe option for losing weight. I'd tried many things in the past, some worked, some didn't. I lost 25 kilos once, and put them all back on and then some. This made me really unhappy. I was back where i'd started - nearly 40 kilos over weight, and ill. Nothing I did in the past stuck had with me, so I was looking again for a fix.

!!! I think that's where Mish's program is different. It's not 'a fix' !!!

Other programs i've done havent required me to focus on -EVERYTHING- needed to successfully lose and maintain weight. I've done programs previously where food was packaged up and sent to my house, where I calculated food on a point system, or drank shakes, or got rid of certain foods in my diet. I also went to a gym where I was told to do nothing but resistance training. Knowing what I do now, I cringe. Where was my responsibility in these programs!?!? Where was the education!?  To lose weight successfully you need to follow a beautiful, simple equation:

persevere + eat well + exercise = healthy and slim.  (wow!?!?!?)

The 12WBT program offers a whole picture in regard to weight loss - the psychological element, the physical element and the nutritional element.

I slipped up occasionally over the past year. And life got in the way, as did injury. Sometimes you have to be realistic and not too hard on yourself! But, I've added perseverence to my equation for 2012 and I know I'm going to get to goal. Right now I am sitting at 100 kilos. Before the round starts, i'd like to lose 5 kilos. It is a bit of a challenge, but I think I can do it. I'm a librarian, which means spending most of my time at a desk, or wandering quietly around shelving, whilst discussing research with eager beavers. I'm newly married, which means thinking about not just me - and fitting in my exercise so that I still get ample time to spend with my husband. I decided my word this year is TENACITY. Tenacious B - that's me :-)


MY OTHER CHALLENGE:


This year I need to focus on nutrition more than ever. I've felt sluggish and ill for most of my life. I'd developed a normal, that wasn't really normal. I've found out this week that I am allergic to lots of different foods, and eliminating them from my diet will certainly help me regain my health and energy. Unfortunately, these foods are very common and very delicious.

They are:

Milk
Wheat
Soy
Yeast
Tomato
Potato
Peanut

So, I will be trialling different allergy free foods and rating them as a part of this blog. I will include some websites and recipes that I think are awesome.

Please let me know if you guys know of any substitutes or recipes I might like!!!

Best of luck this round guys :-)

Preseason Task 1: Sarah :)

Well I will be posting a video later in the week but thought I'd start here

My name is Sarah and I am 30 years old. I live in the northern suburbs of Perth

I am a music teacher, Head of House at my school, run my own business and am completing my masters (a bit busy I know!)

I am doing 12WBT because I need to take control of my health and my life. I want to be the very best version of myself that I can be. I love what 12WBT offers and I am looking forward to this round!

Since December 28 I have lost 3kg which I am stoked about Now sitting just above my lowest round 3 weight (I think around week 8 before I completely lost the plot!). January for me is school holidays, so I have been taking control of my routine, getting used to waking up early (5am on holidays is super early!) and training hard. I am loving my life! I have great 12WBT family in the Perth Crew who are so encouraging and make me believe that I can do this!

Looking forward to a great round

Sarah

Sarah and Bernie's Workout Adventures (Video Blog)

Check out our Video Blog for our workout places in Perth!

A huge shout out to the Perth Crew members featured - especially Lesley, who helped us at Hyde Park (and joined us today for the home style workout)

Perth Crew Challenge
Terms and Conditions
1. Participate :)
2. Record your results

(we keep things simple around here!)


Jacobs Ladder Spreadsheet

DNA Tower Spreadsheet


Sarah and Bernie

cantankerous !

Bernie is shy. Really.


Although some people might find this hard to believe, I actually hate being the center of attention. I get embarrassed easily, and I hate it when people single me out in front of others. Being told today that my last blog was going to be used to motivate me tomorrow when I work out, struck a chord in me a bit. It made me feel frowny (for the aformentioned reasons). But that was the part of me that my husband calls 'petulant'. Good thing the stubborn me is stronger than the petulant me. The stubborn me told the world I was going to be a winner on Mish's stage (dear Lord, really??), and the stubborn me doesn't like being proven wrong almost as much as it doesn't like being told what to do... or helped. Quite an internal conflict really. So, friends, if I frown, it's not because I don't love you. I really, really do want to be fit and awesome. I'm just.... a little, ah, shy.


Bernie.  xx

Woman of my Word

Woman of your word
If you screw up...own it, learn from it, let it go and move forward
If you see an event and click attend....ATTEND!! OR click maybe
If you cant attend, Dont make excuses, Just click no
If you have a challenge, dont eat it, bring it here. You will be surprised who else had that problem
Say what you are going to do, then do it!
JFDI

 Okay, so there has been a lot of talk in the Perth Crew about being a woman of your word, and the above was posted by Lesley on our Facebook group yesterday. Today was a turning point for me in overcoming obstacles and getting on with it because I said I would (and it's only 8am!)

Nat and I had planned our run for 5:30am this morning and said we were going to run the whole 8km. The most we have run on our route is 6km about 6 weeks ago and it was broken up into intervals. On Friday we ran 2.5km and then I did the NYE run on Saturday (4km), feeling at the time like I just couldn't run 8km.

So last night I decided to get an early night, have some pampering time before bed and get a good nights rest. Well, the best laid plans right? I ended up lying in bed at 1am after being in bed with the light out at 10pm...and I was still awake. I didn't turn the TV on, I just laid there. I turned some music on after awhile to try and relax my mind from going round and round in manic circles but it just wouldn't settle.

5am...my alarm goes off. I just wanted to curl over and go back to sleep but I had put it out there and said I would meet Nat, and a LOT of people knew about it too! So, I got out of bed and got myself organised (and yes, I was late because I was moving so slowly!)

 Off we went to start our run and from the start it was MIND GAMES! I just had to keep telling myself to shut up and get on with it because I wanted to quit after 100m! I knew I could run 4km because I did it only a few days ago. So on and on we went, refusing to stop and walk. I was so proud of us when we got to the 4km mark and turned around. We were both exhausted but I also knew more than ever that we could keep going and we could run the last 4km to get back. So off we went.

Nat and I lost each other fairly early on in the second 4km because Nat naturally runs a little faster than me and she just took off! I think she just wanted it all to be over! So, it was just me and the little voice in my head, trying to tell me that I couldn't do it and that I should quit. The funny thing is, while my head was telling me to quit, my body wasn't. I was feeling in pretty good shape. Yes, my ankle was starting to hurt and I could feel the blister starting in its usual spot on my inner arch, but I was in control of my breathing, which meant that even with my heart rate consistently sitting at 165 I was doing fine.

The last km is a nasty double hill, just when you think you are up and over there is still a bit more around the corner! Well, I was just getting to the top of the first hill and about to turn the corner when two of the cyclists that we see regularly on our run came up from behind me and one of them called out 'you're doing great' and it was just what I needed. I powered up and over the hill to finish the last 500m feeling fantastic.

When we were sitting having a drink afterward and reflecting on the run, Natalie's mum looked over at me and said 'you look so fresh' to which my response was 'I feel fantastic' and I really did. I had achieved something amazing, and my running goals for the year are looking really attainable and I am looking forward to what 2012 is going to bring.

Until next time,

Sarah

 

New Year, New Me and New DRESSES!

Sarah here :)

Well, Bernie and I started our New Year with a workout with Lesley and Toni from the Perth Crew. It was a fantastic morning where we decided that Bernie's new nickname is Rocky (much better than my previous one from earlier in the week!) and she held a plank for 1 minute! Lesley was standing over her not letting her give up and it was FANTASTIC! We did some shuttle runs, kettle bell exercises and push ups (I managed 31 on my toes!!!) so all in all a great start to the year.

Lesley, Toni and I went on a little shopping expedition which saw me buy a RED dress for our Perth Crew dinner in a few weeks (size 14!!!!), a gorgeous maxi dress for our school ball which is at the start of Feb (I think the 11th) and new bathers (again, SIZE 14!!!!!). We all had success in the dress department and it was so nice to go shopping with supportive girls!

For the end of 2011, I completed the WA Marathon Club's NYE Run along the Swan River near Burswood. I did the 4km run in under 31 minutes which was smashing my expectations (hoping for 35!). I didn't stop and it was a battle for the last 2 km but I just refused to let my mind take over. Tania came alongside me and ran the last 1.5km with me and it was GREAT to have some Perth Crew support.

Then it was off to see in the new year with the runners and walkers plus a few extras at Peta's house. What a FANTASTIC night! I had such a fantastic night with the girls (and a few blokes putting up with us!) and I really couldn't have asked for a better end to the year.

So what is next for me in 2012?

It's all about STRENGTH.

Strength is not giving in to the temptations around me
Strength is not giving up when the going gets tough
Strength is saying NO when I need to
Strength is not allowing other people to dictate how I live my life
Strength is putting myself first
Strength is persevering
Strength is taking a risk

This week Bernie and I have some cool workout plans, which we will VLog about next Friday, so keep an eye out (it's sure to be entertaining and probably have lots of giggling again!). Lesley is going to help me buy a new bike and then I start a 6 week triathlon training course on 10 January so BRING IT ON! Tomorrow is a Perth Crew workout at my place in the morning and Tuesday we are tackling the DNA Tower.

That's it from me for now, but stay cool and stay tuned :)

Sarah

Bernie reflects

Oh my goodness. How is it New Years Eve already? It doesn't feel like 5 minutes has passed since I was last thinking that, and anticipating the year ahead (2011 was going to be awesome... I had my wedding ahead of me, my honeymoon - and i'd decided I was finally going to lose all my excess weight and be a slim bride).

Oops.

Well, granted I lost about ten kilos (waved between 4 of them) - am currently 9 kilos down from where I was this time last year. Alas, I was not a slim bride, but I was a happy, happy bride, marrying a man I love. I feel very blessed. But regarding my weight loss... I'm trying to figure out where it went wrong. Why did I not achieve as much as I'd wanted?

Had I set my sights too high? - no.
Had I done the wrong thing? - sometimes.

Let's face it. I did the 12WBT challenge, and at times I did it with gusto. I saw results. But other times? (2011 was an emotional roller coaster) I cut corners. I didn't make time - and I made excuses.

2011 saw me feeling exuberant. Or saw me feeling so so tired.

But oh my goodness. This year I WANT it. This year, I want to be a success story - like our Noala, our Sarahs, our Rebecca, and so many others in PERTH CREW who have done so damn WELL. This coming year I feel a fire in my belly. This year, I want it, I need it. I am GOING to lose those 30 excess kilos. I am going to exercise, do the reading, and eat clean. I am going to participate. I am going to make my health my priority. I HAVE UNRESTRAINED ENTHUSIASM! (hear me roar!).

So, yes. Will leave 2011 with a quote from pg. 7 of my seriously tattered 15 year old copy of "Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul" (oh yes... 2012 sees me turning 32).

" After a while you learn that even sunshine burns if
    you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own
    soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you
    flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really are strong,
And that you do have worth. "

That section of poem comes from the chapter on relationships. This year, I am focussing on my relationship with myself. I think my metaphorical garden will have lots of sunflowers in it.


HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!! xx

Oh Yes WE DID!!!!

We made our first ever video blog :)

Watch it...seriously

It will be an epic 6 minutes of awesomeness :)

It's true...really...


Click here to watch :)

Sarah and Bernie

Sarah's Christmas Ramblings

Well Christmas has meant one thing this year...so much food to avoid! The last two weeks of school were the last weeks of Round 3 and I kinda fell off the wagon big time. There was food EVERYWHERE! I wasn't training properly and I was putting absolute crap into my body. So what did I learn? My body does not like that food anymore (if it ever really did!)

So, Christmas day comes around and we have a heap of food in our house. Thankfully I didn't do too badly, even went for a walk in the late arvo before gearing up for the second family do for the day, this time with heaps of extended family. I stayed away from the alcohol in the evening because after 3 glasses at lunch I felt a bit ill.

Boxing Day is TODAY and I decided to make the most of my new Kettle Bell (awesome present from my mum!) and designed a workout for the morning. I did about 25 minutes inside and then headed out for my walk (about 25 minutes around a circular loop my street comes off).

Here is my workout as shared with the 12WBTers on the forums

Warm up (1 minute each exercise)
Ice skaters
Ski jumps
Burpees
Knee ups

Circuit 1(20 reps) - 6 kg KETTLE BELL
Kettle bell swing squats
Squat press
Reverse lunges with kettle bell

Cardio blast (1 minute each exercise)
Ski jumps
Burpees

Circuit 2 (15 reps) - 4kg DUMBBELLS
Dead lifts
Bicep curls
Chest press

Cardio blast (1 minute each exercise)
Knee ups
Butt kickers

Circuit 3 (12 reps) 6kg KETTLE BELL
Stationary lunges with kettle bell
Kettle bell twists
Single arm kettle bell swings

Abs (20 of each)
Medicine ball crunches
Bicycle crunches
Side planks (15 secs approx. each)
Plank (as long as I could hold it but didn’t time)

Cardio - 3km walk

It was a BIG workout but I felt TERRIFIC afterwards! I am looking forward to our Perth Crew workout on Wednesday in Kings Park, my walk with Nat tomorrow and the NYE run and hang out with the Perth Crew to see in the new year - how can you go wrong?!?

Hanging out with Bernie on Wednesday for the Workout so I'm sure we'll be back with new ramblings soon...and on our agenda is finding Bernie a gym! Since I am on holidays I am making it my mission to help her find one - more workouts for me!

2012 is going to be MY YEAR! I am going to eat clean, train hard and have fun! I have a trip to America next December which is a great long term goal to aim for.

Until next time...

Sarah

Mini Milestone Week!

Sunday November 6 2011

Well this morning I competed in my first triathlon! I signed up for the long course in the Pink triathlon and was so nervous about it! The course was a 300m swim, 10km ride and a 3km run. Now, individually I can do all these things well but put it all together and I was stuffed at the run!

The Swim
Well, firstly let me say that people can be RUDE! I was kicked, hit and ploughed into during my six laps. The worst was as I reached the steps to leave the pool someone basically pushed me out of the way (the apologised but didn't let me through first). Anyway, out of the pool and running to transition was I!

The Cycle
I so wish I had a road bike, or at least a hybrid! It was great being cheered on by various Perth Crew members as I kept cycling along - especially Peta Pring yelling at me to JFDI! Three laps of the route and I was headed back to transition.

The Run
Now, I am a decent jogger. I can shuffle it up with the best of them! However, when you have swum and cycled already, running is HARD! The first lap I had to walk part of it, then at the start of the second lap someone passed me telling me not to stop but to keep shuffling! That was all I needed and I just kept going!

So...my final time was 1:14:59 which I was ecstatic with! I have signed up for the training at Arena Joondalup for the Women's Tri in March so I will be attempting at least the short course (same as what i have just done) or the long course which is 750m/21km/5km which will be a CHALLENGE!

Of course, no Perth Crew event would be complete without some awesome planking as seen below. These ladies are AWESOME and it was so great being cheered across the finish line. I love you guys heaps and I wouldn't have been able to do this without your support!

Sarah

The Adventures of Sarah and Natalie!

Okay, so this post is over a week late but here goes.

So, Bernie is off on her honeymoon so I have been finding other people to work out with. This week it was Natalie Campbell, and let me just say - running with someone is so much better than running alone! We pushed each other (partly because we were both thinking 'I can't stop running yet, she's still going!') and got to catch up at the same time. We had planned five workouts - but we were rained out on Thursday (and I piked on Wednesday at Lesley's because I was EXHAUSTED)



Sunday
Met up for a 8km walk/run along the coast. We ran 3km and then did intervals of 500m on the way back. Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Tuesday
Met up for our walk again and ran the whole 4km to Hillarys from Mullaloo! Walked 2km and then ran the final 2km and beat our time with 1 hour 18 minutes!

Friday
KIMAX with the Perth Crew!

So, we are planning on running a couple of times a week together which I am really looking forward to!

Sarah

Wedding Day!

8:45am
Arrived at Bernie's and sat around with hash browns and sausage and egg mcmuffins while Bernie had a little freak out that she had lost 1.5kg due to stress, all off her chest and that her dress didn't fit!










9:17am

On our way to Museo for hair and makeup

Sitting around Bernie's living room with the bridesmaids before heading off to Museo. Everyone is really excited and it is going to be an awesome day! Bernie did a very good imitation of a fly as you can see!

Emma was done quick, while Judy is still going

So many bobby pins!

Judy and Bernie being made up

11:03am
Part 1 complete! Anita and I are sitting in the relaxation room at Museo eating all the goodies after having our makeup done. Bernie, Emma and Judy were getting their hair done and they look awesome! Feeling very pampered and excited for the rest of the day!

12:09pm
Nearly done! Miracle of Miracles they could do something with my hair! Bernie is just finishing with her makeup and we are feasting on the awesome orange crisps!


12:53pm
Lunch!
An awesome feast of chicken and avocado rolls, fruit, apricot squares and meringues! A minor hiccup with Bernie's headband digging into her scalp but all fixed by Emma with some foam!







2:15pm
The dressing...a very funny sight to see! The bridesmaids were in their dresses very quickly and then we all had to help Bernie into her dress, which included Emma standing on the bed!

3:15pm
We're on our way! All dressed up with somewhere awesome to go! Bernie looks amazing and we haven't had any major wardrobe malfunctions! Bernie says "this is fun" as we drive along.





















4:00pm CEREMONY!

5:30pm
Well Bernie and Mike are off for their photos without the bridal party (check some out here) but the bridesmaids are hanging around near where we had our photos in case we are needed. We all have sore feet but keep telling each other not to take our shoes off until we won't have to put them back on! We decided to head to the reception and end up having lots of silly photos with the groomsmen.

6:30pm
Having made our entrance into the reception and been served our drinks, the girls all get up from the table and start socialising while the boys stay put!

Now I have to admit...from here on out it gets a bit blurry! We had a fantastic night...we did the time warp, Mike bought me a Cosmo, we took Bernie's hair out (I wish I had counted those bobby pins!), we basically had an awesome time celebrating!

More photos from the day - enjoy!

Mr and Mrs Nye