One Step Closer

~ Linkin Park ~

Do you ever stop & listen to the way you talk to yourself in the mirror?  How would you feel if someone else said that to you? Would you tolerate someone else speaking to you like that [and seriously, if you do allow people to talk to you like that we have a whole new problem to deal with...]. But back to the original topic - do you realize how many times you speak negatively about yourself? [Actually, Tam wrote a beautiful article about it]

Some days I can't look in the mirror without thinking I'm to heavy, I'm to big, it's soft & jiggly where I don't want it to be, too short, too tall, too hairy, too white, [enter your own gripe].  I know it's easier said then done, but shouldn't we stop seeing the "imperfections" and start appreciating our bodies for all the things that it can do? And not just that - stop comparing ourselves to everyone else?

I never looked like the girls in the magazines. I was a chubby kid who turned into a chubby teenager, and then discovered sport. I was termed "athletic" - isn't that just a nice way of saying fat?  It wasn’t until earlier this year when I found the right people (nutritionists, Crossfit, weightlifting & a support group) that my body started changing. And not only has my body started changing, it also changed how I felt about my body.  I'm more chuffed that I increased my front squat by 10kg's then reducing my weight by 1kg. I started to eat to give my body what it needs, not starving cause I wanted to be thin.

Weightlifting & Crossfit made me change my focus from losing weight to gaining strength.  Getting the right support group (online & at the Box) meant surrounding myself with strong women (and men) with similar goals. My body constantly surprises me by doing things that I've never thought possible. I would now love to be called "athletic", because I've seen athletic women & damn, if that's what it's called then give me some.

Andrea Ager, Christmas Abbott, Camille Leblanc-Bazinet

I love my body because:

• no matter how badly I’ve treated it in the past, it still keeps going.
• it's mine & I'm unique.
• I can go & try a sport & be somewhat decent at it, without dying of stiffness the next day.
• it's smart & it tells me when to rest, when to work, when to eat.
• it has amazing taste buds that makes me open to try new food.
• it can laugh till I cry & squeal from being out of breath.
• it can front squat 87kg's, back squat 95kg's and dead lift a 110kg's.
• it can be taught to do technical movements & practice truly does make perfect.

And most importantly, earlier this week was the first time in a very (if ever) long time that I was comfortable enough to walk around on the beach in just a bikini. I normally reserve this for home.  If anything has changed this year it has been how I see my body - healthy skinny is not going to happen overnight, the least I can do is love my body while it's working hard to get me to stronger & leaner.

Last night was probably my hardest workout to date. We did Grace, then another 30 Push Jerks, and then a chipper from hell:  200 double unders (or 400 single skips), 400m run, 150 double unders (or 300 single skips), 30 burpee pull-ups (did then without any assistance from a band - yay me!), 100 double unders (or 200 single skips), 20 overhead squats, 50 double unders (or 100 single skips). And even though I had the lowest score & only got to 19 burpee pull-ups before reaching the 20 minutes, I still worked just as hard as the guy next to me.

Zoom in - still drenched in sweat...

A lot of negative things have been said about the Crossfit community, and I thing we are truly blessed to have some amazing people at our box. Just to put it into context - Rich Froning (Crossfit Games Champion) can do Grace in less then 4:49 with 102kg. I did it in 7:30 with 40kg.  And by the time I hit the second set of 30 Push Jerks I had to do them 1 at a time. It was such an amazing feeling getting supported by all the guys that already finished, counting down with me, telling me to push & just to keep going.

Found some nice/tasty/pretty things over the weekend & even went down to the beach after work two days in a row. I don't normally slow down this time of year so that is something that I am trying to work on - taking a breath; otherwise you will be working your whole life away without enjoying the little moments.

Vovo Telo Rocket, Mushroom & Pecorino Pizza and Mint & Apple Slushie ~ Mexican Bola Charms make the most amazing fairy jingle ~ Christmas day dress ~ Cow fresh full cream strawberry yoghurt made right here in PE.

Food wise it's going well. I'm trying to keep it clean because I want the pretty dress to sit extra comfortable on Christmas day (it's been a Christmas tradition - a dress will be worn!)

 

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Take a breath people!

Everything Counts

~ Depeche Mode ~

Tonight's post is gonna be a short one, because I still have to go do homework on macro's & calorie cycling. And like any change in your lifestyle it takes a bit of getting use too...

I've been following IF for the last 4 months & apart from really suiting my lifestyle (I'm lazy as f*ck in the morning & not at all hungry) it's really helped with my strength performance in the gym.  And it was not IF alone - I've also been on a high protein, high fat, low carbs (only veggies) eating plan.  

Recently (i.e. Friday) I had a bit of a feedback session with David/Evo Fitness & it was suggested that I re-introduce carbs into my diet, before & after workouts & at night, as well as cycle calories between rest days & work days.

Now, looking at the amount of calories that I have to consume on a work day is quite frankly terrifying. But David said it is "over the allotted calories for extra lean mass growth, recovery and keeping the metabolism firing". So I will give it a try.

Calorie cycling is but it’s pretty much what it sounds like - adjusting your caloric intake per day while maintaining a desired weekly caloric intake average. I.e. it's the daily adjustment of total calories (one day higher the other lower).  It is supposedly good for losing weight, but it is especially good for busting through weight-loss plateaus.  

Friday night we got our anniversary tattoo - love it, love it, love it :)

Steampunk Minions :)

I started introducing carbs in the form of dextrose in my PWO shake, as well as some wild rice. The world didn't come to an end.

Crossfit was super amazing tonight.  Full squat cleans with split jerks for sets, then a round for as many as you can unbroken - this girl did 30 on 27kg's...quite chuffed. Then we did a Tabata that came straight from hell. 20 seconds on 10 seconds rest. 8 Rounds Double Unders, 8 Rounds Burpees, 8 Rounds Sumo Squat High Pulls, 8 Rounds Double Unders.  It was a sweaty, heaving, gasping for breath mess of fun.

 

For the ladies who follow a couple of blogs - do yourself a favor and create a Bloglovin profile.  You can add the blogs you want to follow and you'll get all of their new posts in a feed or via email! And yes, you can add any blog, since there are quite a number of SleekGirls blogging about at the moment. You create a profile, and then just copy the link of the blog that you read into "Search Blogs", and follow. Easy peasy.

Skull Tattoo

~ Eagle Eye Cherry ~

Like King George III wrote in his diary (apparently Google says this is a myth, but I'm still owning it): nothing important happened today. It's just a day. No intellectual insights into the human psyche, no lamenting over lost boobs, just a day. (PS: It's also the title of an X-Files episode - loved that show & had the hugest crush in high school on David Duchovney - almost this much - seriously, you have to listen to it!)

I'm quite excited for tomorrow afternoon - getting a tattoo done with BF. I've always wanted a 2nd one & BF has been wanting to get his first for a while, but neither of us could decide on something meaningful we want to ink in permanently.  But then BF came up with the amazing idea of a couples tattoo for our recent 3 year anniversary - we'd get our tattoos AND it would mean something special to the both of us. We are not sure what the final design will look like yet but it will incorporate some of the following ideas. Lu from Otherworld Tattoos in PE will be "doing" us. Will show pictures next week.

On Saturday we will be participating in the Glow Run - it's starts at 7 at night & instead of colored powder we will get splashed with florescent neon paint - cannot wait to see those photos! Baby Mama Mrs T has somehow procured 150 glow sticks - because you can find anything on the Internet. It should be fun :D

BF will probably be working for most of the weekend so that means I will catch up on my Battlefield time.  Sad that I will be missing out on Saturday morning's Crossfit WOD (cause of the tattoo).  The motions are coming a bit easier now, so I've been pushing myself a lot harder the last week and my body is definitely showing it - bruises all around!

Will be trying extra hard this weekend to keep my food on track & eat healthy - will see how it goes.

Remember to follow K&C on Google+ | Facebook | Pinterest | Bloglovin. See you on Monday!