What Tiredness Does To Me....

Being tired is a terrible thing. I vividly remember having a newborn child, a 15 month old toddler, and a husband who regularly travelled away from home on work courses. I remember living in some sort of mental fog and being able to jump from tears to manic laughter in a split second, and wondering what the actual definition of mentalness was, and, more importantly, how far away I was from achieving it!

OK - so I'm not quite at that tired stage, but I am feeling a little weary this week and my concentration isn't quite what it normally is. Example; A couple of days ago I set about making a yummy protein shake following a wickedly heavy weights session. Plastic shake container on the bench, insert 300ml of cold low-fat milk along with a large scoop of double-chocolate protein powder (life is tough!), then a snappy handful of frozen berries. I then inserted my little white, powerful whizz-stick and hit the pulse button.

At exactly that moment, someone started up some sort of heavy-duty machinery somewhere in the house and the sound was horrendous. I continued whizzing my shake while furiously scanning the lounge for what the hell was making that sound!! I experienced a little resistance in my shake but assumed (uh-oh!) that it was just the frozen berries being a little harder than usual.

"For crying out loud!!! Stop that bloody noise! You're driving me mental" I predictably yelled at no-one in particular, and continued to jam the whizz-stick a little harder into the container to try and break up those concrete-hard berries! I accepted the fact that the shake would be lumpy today due to aforementioned berries so I stopped the whizzer and then, and only then, did I realise that I had left the little spiral metal shaker thingie in the bottom of the shake container. My whizz stick had managed to half suck the life out of the spiral thingie that was now well and truly wedged three times around the blades.

The cause of the tiredness? Nothing in particular but everything all at once. I'm not going to dissect and complain about my week because there is nothing, not one thing, that I'd omit and nothing I regret taking on. So let's just accept that some weeks are more full-on than others and it's ok to admit to weariness as long as it doesn't cost me too many small appliances.

I haven't really given any time to my wonderful weekend away in Darwin so I'll backtrack a little. Michelle and I drove up on a Friday afternoon and checked in at about 3pm. By 5pm we had our runners on and, with great enthusiasm, we headed over to The Stairs (the Esplanade is its other name). We had no idea which way to go but spotted a 'fellow runner' (hehe!) emerge from the stairs with a red face so we headed to his direction. Quick stop to adjust the shoe laces (does anyone else suffer from the over-powering need to always adjust their laces just before running/??!! I drive myself mad!!), a few more minutes to ensure good music (another one of my near ocd tendencies!!) and we decided that M would be the forerunner while I kept up the rear. I like to think it's my fine police training that makes me the logical person to remain out-back to ensure we aren't 'hit from behind', however the truth is that she's faster than me and I like to hide the fact that I'm half-dead from her. I think she suspects the truth but is too gracious to bring it up in conversation. On ya Michelle!

Off we roared, down the stairs and....what an anticlimax!! Only about 15 stairs down!! Oh well, we'll keep going and surely we'll hit The Real Stairs soon. We had the choice of a left or right turn, we took the left and bounced past a carpark, headed toward the water, wondered why there seemed to be no sign of person or vehicle and realised why when we hit a dead end along the wharf front. Damn!!! Quick re-group. Turn around, along the wharf, past the car park, back up the stairs (that had turned from 15 into about 100!!) and left along the Esplanade. We headed up and down all sorts of little obstacles and made it to a road that headed to Cullen Point - about 7.5kms in total, probably about 5km the way the crow flies!! We took all of the scenic routes! Back to the hotel and off to dinner we went.

The following morning we headed to Time Out gym for our much anticipated Bootcamp session...only to find that Darwinites are a little on the soft side and the session was cancelled due to a light rainfall the night before. I can't say the thoughts that went through my mind but I felt a little tiny wee bit of pride in our Katherine Bootcamp that has never been cancelled...and never will be if I have it my way!

Instead we settled for a CX-worx class followed by a boxing class followed by a little tour around the gym. In short we were stretched and punched and it felt great to be bossed around by someone else. Michelle is a monster with the gloves and I tried to swap places with the guy next to me but he was too much of a scaredy pants to hold the pads for her. To be honest I think she near dislocated my shoulders but I started making funny faces and doing little dances to put her off her game. It worked and I managed to get out of there in one piece.

The afternoon was spent with shopping and the movies followed by a dinner consisting of....can you believe it!!!...a Coles green salad, tuna from a can and a boiled egg mashed on top! Only a special friend could share these moments with me and enjoy them!

Sunday morning was another sleep-in and then off to yet another gym. This time Ultimate Gym & Fitness in Winnelie Road. What a fantastic setup! If you're looking for a gym with everything in it, plenty of parking and spanking new gear, go there! So I finally met up with my trainer, Sammy Laughton. What struck me first was just what a tiny frame she had ....until she showed me her posing techniques and then I got to see lats that went forever and shoulders that could make me cry with envy! We got straight to work and my first 'homework' is to learn the quarter-turn poses. In all honesty, they hurt almost as much as my current chest press routine.... I said almost!!!! It is all quite technical and there are a few special tips to remember that might just make the difference between a good and a great pose. An hour and a half of that and my mind was overwhelmed with all she had to teach me.

We headed home on Sunday afternoon, stopping at a random truck shelter to scoff down yet another green salad, and of tuna and boiled egg! True friendship! We had such a great time and I'm so grateful for my very special friend.

So I've been putting in a bit of time in front of the mirror since we got back and it's not unusual for my family to find me in gym shorts, a sports bra and very high clear plastic stilettos, prancing about while chanting something like; "feet together, thighs out, chest high, lats spread, shoulders straight...and for gods sake...keep those hands soft!! They look like claws!!!" It's definitely not as easy as it looks and I feel very clunky rather than graceful.

With this new challenge I feel further away than ever from my goal because it's unfamiliar and an area that just doesn't come that naturally for me. And I still have spangly bikinis, fake tans and big hair to come! So what's the option - give up? Hardly!! Face it and give it my best and put the hard work in - sounds good to me.

Certainly can't complain that life isn't exciting that's for sure.

Til next time!

Tanning & Trimming - A Girly One This Time!

What a flap last week was! So many things to do and, finally, my weekend in Darwin arrived. As previously explained, it's a big deal to get out of my house alive let alone ....alone!! So I worked my butt off to get everything done that needed to be done before the Friday morning ETD. But first things first.....The Tan!!

On Thursday night, after Bootcamp, I scheduled in my first ever spray tan!!! Excited much!!! Little nervous too!! Lovely Kristy from Katherine Spray Tans looked after me and, as per the pre-tan reading, I left Bootcamp and went home and had a shower to get rid of any deodorants, creams, sweat etc etc. I then had to decide on what to wear.....while suspecting that anything I did wear would need to be...er..removed! Nerves a little jangly at that thought! So at about 8pm I arrived at her house and she was just lovely, which put me at ease a little bit. I was then taken to a little 'tent' and gently told to remove clothing and call out when ready. While I had mentally prepared for this, I really was a little giggly and silly about it all I must admit. So she left me outside to organise myself. I took a deep breath and gingerly removed my dress, deciding on the spot that the full monty was out of the question on a first date, so one article remained in place. I then strategically placed limbs over all delicate areas and felt a little like those centrefolds contortionists who do a great job of hiding all bits.

I called out "I'm ready" but I don't actually think any sound came out because I was standing for a while in this funny position. I called out again, for real this time, and took a breath as she came in to start up the spray gun. Looking back I probably rambled incessantly, as I do when nervous, but she graciously started with my legs so I was able to stay modest for a while longer (god she must have thought I was an idiot!!). Then Kristy carefully and gently stated that it was time to do my arms. I'm no fool. I realised that this meant my arms had to leave my 'bits' and be placed out wide. Oh crap. Here goes. Feeling soooooo wrong but gonna do it anyway! So I shut my eyes, arms out wide and thought of Africa!!! And it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. Very much felt like I was being spray painted....hello...that's exactly what it was!! Body, face, bum - it was all done! It took about 15 mins and finished off with a quick dry down before some time in front of the aircon to dry off some more.

Kristy warned me that it would like very golden at first but after 8 hours I could have a shower and the colour would calm down a bit. So I left her house feeling very much like Malibu Barbie, without the blond hair. It's amazing how being brown can make you feel so healthy. I arrived home and sauntered into the house like a swimsuit model.....and Rob burst out laughing and didn't really stop. In fact he laughed every time he looked at me for the whole night!! To add insult to injury my beautiful 8 year old son (who always tells me how beautiful he thinks I am!!) said, "Mummy, when is your tan going to go away?" Me - "In a few days. Why?" Him - "Because I love you more when you don't have that tan." ????!!! Need to show the boy some American swimsuit magazines!!

After the following mornings' shower I looked a little less Malibu and a little more Cairns, but it still felt pretty good to me! No strap marks on my back. No sock lines on my ankles. A brown tummy and wickedly even coloured thighs - woohoo - loved it!! And muscle definition - wowee!! I can see why a tan is essential.

So, in Darwin I got to the bottom of the compeititon tan vs the home tan. Apparently it's absolutely nothing like Kristy's lovely little spray gun. In fact, my trainer Sammy, describes it as "vegemite in a jar". Charming. It appears that I will layer myself in this dark coloured mud for the week prior to competing, and finish with a thick dark top coat that may be lucky to have a little shimmer going on. It goes on with a sponge, a roller or hands. I'm told that, if on the day I am noticeably 'lighter' than the others backstage, I'm to go and get my jar and apply liberally until I achieve their great darkness. This is going to be hard work to live with!! Now I understand why some of the competitors in the mags I read look like golden statues by competition day - oh joy!

I had a thought about how hard it will be with this tan on, living in a hot climate and trying not to look too ridiculous! I wonder if Woolies do home deliveries?? And we may have a Winter Bootcamp Theme that week and I'll urge everyone to come along dressed in full lengh tights, jumpers and face masks - just so that I don't look out of place!

So that's my first little foray into tans. What a drama. Next I have to give some thought to ....um...er....waxing.....you know where!!!! It's a hideous thought for a waxing virgin. Yep, that's right. The only part of my body ever graced with any wax is my eyebrows. The rest has remained wax-free and I was happy to stay that way. Until now. It has to be done. I'm horrified at what it entails and, worst of all, it'll have to be 'done' by someone local. And I might see them in Woolies one day, or at the golfies for dinner, or at Bootcamp!! Urrrggghhhhh!!! There are so many considerations associated with this 'procedure' and I know that at least one of my brothers reads this blog so I'm not going there for now!! But you can be sure it's playing on my mind and I'm VERY nervous! Give me 75kg on a squat bar and I'll take it on. Give me hot wax and my delicates, and I'm a blithering mess!

But that's going to be a whole new blog entry........

Time For Some Appreciation.

Woohoo - off to Darwin for the weekend. Now for most Katherine residents, this isn't much of a big deal and I happen to know quite a few people that trek up there weekly. It's only about 3hrs north (2.5 for speeders!) and the road is pretty darn good most of the time. But this year has started off with such a roar that I haven't had the time to escape home life at all.

But it's not a drama! I'm loving 2012!!! I get busy and frazzled and a wee bit tired - but I wouldn't want it any other way. So here's why;

I have the most amazing group of Personal Training clients and I've had the priviledge of being able to call most of them 'friends' rather than clients as we progress together. They keep my mind ticking and my own enthusiasm is sparked by their efforts. 

Our little Bootcamp constantly humbles me due to the huge efforts put in by 'my' team. Sometimes I'm overwhelmed by the courage and determination showed by all fitness ranges and I simply love my Bootcamp nights - simple as that. 

Training for this comp is giving me that physical challenge that I crave, and even the stinky old nutrition aspect is something to conquer. Without a challenge to focus on, I swear I'd suffer too deeply from exercise envy when I have all of these people around me smashing their own personal goals. 

And then tonight I'm starting my very first 10 Week Challenge with five hand-picked people whom I happen to think are just perfect for what I have in mind.

So that's why I'm loving life! What's not to love?

I should also mention that I have the most supportive husband ever, and he not only puts up with all of my crazy ideas, but does anything and everythign he can to help me achieve my goals. He is fantastic and completely self-less and I really don't say it enough.

My kids.....what can I say....they are a huge motivator in my life....even though they probably don't feel very special when I'm in the middle of a bad 'food mood'. They keep me grounded and, just when I think nothing else matters except increasing the weight of a chest press, a question about improper fractions, or a request to watch 'an ollie' on the skateboard, or, my firm favourite, having to enter the bathroom to wipe a bottom after being loudly summonsed from a little king on his throne, reminds me that it takes a whole lot of things to keep life on an even keel.

I couldn't possibly go down the 'appreciation' road without mentioning my Katherine friends. I've been here such a short amount of time and yet I've met some of the best people ever! From my nearest and dearest who I rely on quite heavily for honesty, enthusiasm and fun, to my wonderful PT clients who listen to my endless ramblings and offer me encouragement, to the smiles from my bootcamp team who I know are behind me all of the way. I feel honoured and somehow very lucky to have met you all. Without friends, the world can be a lonely place.

And to think that, only 16 months ago we found out we were moving to the NT and our posting was Katherine. Our first response "Woohoo - wonderful - can't wait!!!! Now. Where the heck is Katherine?????" A quick visit to Mr Google and we were enlightened. 3 months later we arrived in Darwin on a dark and balmy night, and a few days later we drove a very crappy old hire car down to Katherine where Rob left the kids and I for 12 weeks before joining us here. A bit lonely - yes. A bit overwhelming - yes. But for me, this place is just perfect.

So it's now April 2012 and Michelle and I are off to Darwin for a good girly weekend. And we've already booked in for a Bootcamp on Saturday morning - can't WAIT to be bossed around by someone else!!! And then we have runs already planned with some shopping fitted in between (new diet regime has made this a necessity..damn it!). The final mission for me is a posing session on Sunday with my trainer, Sammy. This is my worst fear. Still today the thought of getting into a bikini and high heels and strutting my stuff is horrifying!!!! In preparation for this awful thought, I'm getting a snappy spray tan because my practice-run the other night highlighted the fact that, with only a bikini on, it really looks like I'm wearing about 3 sets of clothing already! Tan lines are a real issue in a climate where the sun never stops!!

So a humble little trip is proving to be very exciting. Maybe it's all of the above along with the thought of not being woken up early that appeals? Just perhaps? Or maybe it's the fact that I can workout as much as I want without feeling guilty because my munchkins haven't eaten dinner and it's 7pm!! Perhaps a combination of all of these. Definitely the fantastic company.

Whatever the case, I'll report back when we return with the low-down on posing and the other things we get up to.

So here's a quick snippet of one of my best ab exercises. If you have a swissball, give it a go. It's a little hard in the beginning due to the balance issues, but it's worth perservering! Superset this with the barbell rollout. 3-4 sets of 15-20 each and you'll feel it the next day.

Easter Is Over!! Get Back To Work!!

Wow - I forgot how hard it is to get back on the wagon after a bit of a break. Easter really is a big deal and threatens to sabotage just about everything associated with a training schedule! I had a little think about just how hard these times of year are for those who are struggling with their diet and/or exercise programs.

I've probably mentioned before that I used to be overweight. But it was so much more than just eating the odd piece of crap here and there. I had a full-blown sick attitude towards food and eating, and spent a large amount of my daily life battling my mind with what I should or shouldn't be eating. Throughout my late teens and early twenties my weight ballooned and plummeted uncontrollably. To say I was miserable would be a gross understatement, and my self-confidence was non-existent. I didn't work. I didn't socialise. I just existed. I did plenty of stupid things while in that state and put my family through a fair whack of stress.

To shorten the story a whole lot, I got myself together (sounds way too simplistic for what it actually took - but that's another novel in itself!) and slowly.......very slowly......I mean over years......I started developing some halfway normal habits. These have morphed into healthy habits and bit by bit it's consolidated into the person I am today.

But my original point was that both Christmas and Easter often threatened to de-rail my initial attempts at a new lifestyle. It seemed that both holiday times were viewed as a free-for-all where people should be able to eat what they want, when they want and how often they want. And exercise! Don't be stupid! It's holiday time!!! I acknowledge that, for the moderate person, a few choccie easter eggs and a nice big Sunday family meal might be the extent of their indulgence. That's not what I was like. I would start the Friday morning with a chocolate egg and pretty much not stop eating until late on Monday night, when I would go to bed feeling so ashamed of myself, and full of promises that I would start my new diet in the morning. The thing is, that after 5 solid days of binging, I would generally feel too uncomfortable, bloated and unwell to get anything underway in the following days. And so another Easter would go by with no real happy memories.

Why am I being a bit morbid? Because I know that I can't be the only one that has been this way. I absolutely know it. And I find that honesty is the key to freedom. The knowledge that you aren't the only one that has done something so 'awful'. That others have been there, faced the same and come through the other end. I know it's a bit of a cliche but - if I can do, I know others can too.

And I go to lengths to let people know that I am not an athlete. I'm not from a sporty family and I have no fitness accolades to my name. Not one. I'm Mrs Average who decided not to live that way anymore. It has been 15 years now since I took the most serious steps toward a healthy lifestyle, and there were hiccups for the first few years. I still fell on and off the wagon with regular monotony. But eventually the falls got further apart until I remember waking up one day and having the realisation that I had really, really changed.

Nowdays, one of the biggest desires I have for my children is that they experience a healthy and active lifestyle. Yes, education is very important. Yes, being an all-round nice person and productive citizen is also very desirable. But health is the foundation that these are built on. Without health, everything is threatened. Unfortunately there are terrible illnesses that we have no control over - they just happen. But there are others that we hold complete control over so why wouldn't we minimise our risk as much as we can.

So my three children have grown up seeing us run, jump, skip, hop and pump weights. They started in their prams and bouncers at the edge of the gym (garage!), and now happily kick the ball around the oval while we complete a quick (or not so quick!) circuit. Just yesterday we had a whole lot of youthful motivators and it makes me happy from the inside out that they all accept that this is just the life they lead.

So that's my rant for the day. A bit heavy, but definitely from the heart.

By Crickey I HATE Chin-Ups!!!

Here's how it goes for me and my Chin-Ups.

I go to that area of the gym and politely ask if anyone in the vicinity would like to use The Bar. I hope like crazy that someone takes me up on that offer but, more often than not, it's a quiet little area with not a lot going on. So I resign myself to the fact that it's time.

Action stations. I lay my little towel down near The Bar, and place my exercise book on a nearby bench. I then rearrange my gloves so that they are fitting just right. They can't be bunched at the base of my fingers because that just doesn't feel right and may seriously impede my ability to peform. I have a little sniff and then realise that it's a while between washes and they aren't smelling very beautiful.

I then put in my earphones and take some time to thread my ipod wire down through my shirt so as I don't keep catching it when I'm exercising. It takes a while to get the earphones just right so I take that time because I know that this music is crucial for good performance.

I then stand back and face-off with The Bar. It's big and cold and ugly. I notice that the paint has been flaking off and the grips aren't terribly clean. I process in my mind the fact that I might catch 'something' with a dirty bar....and then dismiss the thought as a stalling tactic. Mental note - I must organise to replace the dirty grips.

I then step up to The Bar and organise myself in the right forward position. I start thinking about the upcoming pain and quickly focus on the music instead. "I know I won't die from this". It's my Chin-Up mantra.

I then step up to The Bar once again and climb up on the side bars so as to start my first rep with a bit of gentle help in the 'up' position. Ever so carefully I place my hands on that Bar. Palms facing me, thumbs neatly wrapped around. I consider going to the toilet before I start but decide against it. It just could be another stalling thingimebob.

I then decide that a quick warm-up is necessary so I gently drop both feet into a hanging position and start to focus on my lat muscles. I twitch each side a couple of times to remind me exactly what it is I'm using for the upward momentum. After a good 3-4 seconds in that position, I replace my feet on the side bars and realise that the time is here.

I flick through my ipod to find a good grunty song that will help propel me into the world of Chin-Ups. Today it was "Welcome to the Jungle" by the Gunners.

Time for one or two quick mantras .... "I won't die. I won't die. This won't kill me".

I then let my feet hang. Actually, I neatly cross over my ankles. I squeeze my glutes (butt) together with everything I've got.....engage the lats. And give an almighty breath out while I lift myself up just so my chin pops over top of that big, ugly old Bar!!!!

ONE.......TWO......THREE................FOUR..........FIIIIIIVVVVVEEEE............SSIIIIIIII..........X.....and I'm done!

That's it. It's all over. I can't squeeze another one out. No way. No how. I have no strength at all to complete another rep and it's been all of about 8 seconds. I'm lucky if I have the strength to continue breathing actually. It's taken my all.

10 second recovery and I run down to the other end of the gym and complete my sets on the assisted pullup machine. I'm feeling strong and I'm feeling proud. I'm actually feeling like the strongest person in the whole gym.....world...universe!! I'm rocking it baby and Guns & Roses are my backdrop - woot woot!!!

I then cockily saunter back to The Bar for set number 2 of 6. While I'm there, rearranging ipod wires, psyching up my head with my little mantra, fixing up gloves, and picking songs, a young dude approaches me. "Would you mind if I jumped on there quickly between your sets". "Go right ahead" I say....foolishly. So this young fella walks straight on up, grabs The Bar, and pumps out about 20 chinups in 10 seconds flat. He then falls to his feet and says, "Cheers" before wandering off to his next challenge.

I felt like punching his face in.

I'll Tell Who Bodybuilding Is NOT For...

Hang on a minute - first I have to clear something up. I have a brother that I really love. I mean I really think he's special and value his opinion. But he's a joker. Likes to clown around a bit. It would be fair to say that I have sometimes struggled to know the difference between when he is serious and when he is joking - and that should let you know that not all of his jokes are terribly funny. So when I asked him if he had read my blog lately, he replied, "Yes. You whinge a lot".

Whinge a lot.

Whingealot.

W.h.i.n.g.e.a.l.o.t.

Whinge.....alot.

No matter what way you say it, fast or slow, it still says the same thing.

Well, I swallowed this unprovoked attack and decided to mull on it a while. 3 weeks actually as I didn't want to write in this blog again until I had something truly positive to say. It's taken a while and, in this time, I have forgiven the said brother as he is currently on a sugar-free diet and tells me that he has a sudden 'respect' (perhaps my word, not his) for my way of life and the few little negativities it might bring.....such as starvation and body breakdown. In fact, I feel just a little smug that I'm a bit down the path on this whole clean eating caper and he is at the first step......sorry bro, it's definitely pretty hard at the outset...hehe....but no moaning for goodness sake!!

So...on with the show!

WHO BODYBUILDING IS NOT FOR:

* those that do not like lifting weights (ok - pretty ridiculous but I had to start somewhere).

* those that  like food. Fullstop.

* those that like company to chitter chatter with everytime they work out.

* those that like their spare time to remain spare.

* those that like to remain pale skinned.

* those that don't like bling on their bikinis.

* those that don't like the pain of screaming muscles.

* those that don't like cardio on top of an empty stomach (I'm told this is necessary closer to comp time and it sounds gruelling).

* those that read this blog and have little thoughts like, "OMG she's crazy!!", or, "tuna in olive oil on top of lentils sounds disgusting!", or, "who on earth would want to get muscly like those girls in the competitions??".

So I'm not whinging, merely pointing out some of the hard bits in a new and novel way!

As far as my training is going, I had a little chat (NOT whinge!!!) to my trainer about the monotony of some of the exercises and she assured me that this is the way the cookie crumbles when it comes to putting on muscle. It takes dedication to the solid forms of compound exercises which means less of the dynamic and exciting bootcamp style - think more shoulder press, deadlift, chin ups (hey Kyles...finally got 5 in a row out!!! Woohooo!), and then of course, squats, squats and more squats! I'm heading into a new program sometime this week that will take my reps right down and the weights right up. It'll be really intense and my split will go from 6 sessions per week to about 3. The upside is that I can fill in the gaps with some more bootcampy style circuits as long as I keep up the intensity of the weights.

Foodwise, all is going good. I am going to be introducing some more carbs over the next few weeks to keep 'tricking' the old body into responding better. It will mean a small weight gain which, for most of us, is a hard pill to swallow but I knew this whole challenge would mean trusting someone who has been there rather than relying on my own very limited knowledge of such things.

Oh yes - green tea. I've started on this awful, dreadful mucky stuff!!! I would go as far as to say that I believe anyone who says they truly love green tea is telling a little fib. It may be a fairly 'white' fib, but I reckon it's a fib nonetheless!! I'm told the antioxidant values and some other guff are the reason why it's in my daily diet, but it's still like awful medicine to me and I literally shut my eyes, skull it down and chase it with .......something nicer!!

On that - off for a late dinner of tuna stir-fried veges - YUM!!

Talk again soon!

The First Real Slump Has Hit!

It's ok - I'm not at the t.v & pizza stage quite yet. I'm just flat. Flat out trying to muster big enthusiasm to hit the weights. It's an attitude thing rather than physical because I'm still eating right and training right, it's just that I'm doing it all with a face like a smacked bum. I'm getting mad with my programs and talking back to the dumbells.  I made an effort to hit the gym rather than my own garage weights, just to see if the monkey would jump off my shoulder and I think I downsized to a baby monkey (what the hell is a baby monkey called?) and the ipod seemed to drown it out a bit.

So I'm a bit tragic at the moment. But I will give myself a little credit because I have lifted heavier and longer than ever before. I've had a couple of 6-set sessions and they are extremely intense. By the last 1-2 sets I'm hitting 10 reps max and it burns!! Next week I might step off the weight a touch and complete 4-5 full rep sessions with a good stretch between sets. And I finished off the week with a gruelling plyometrics leg workout consisting of only 4 really heavy weighted exercises all supersetted with 20 x plyometric movements, 1.5mins between sets, 4 sets each set, resulting in a Saturday where I am incapable of bending, walking, shuffling or doing housework. God I LOVE that feeling!!

On that, if you are doing a hypertrophy (definition) style of program with 8-12 reps, make sure you wait at least 1.5mins between sets. I've been reading up on ATP systems and it is quite clear that your body needs 1.5-2mins of recovery for these systems to replenish, giving you the correct energy source to complete your next set. Annoying as it is, clock watching between sets is pretty important. For those on the heavy strength sessions (3-5 reps), they need an even bigger break as they are hitting their central nervous system. For years I thought all of that idle chit chat between sets was just a waste of time - I now know better and have become one of the chit chatters!

I'm finding that, to get through the really hard bits on a workout I'm needing both good music, and more importantly, an ability to get into 'The Zone'. You know what I'm talking about? Actually, I;ve found there are two zones as follows;

1. It's the place you go to when you're at the gym doing a good treadmill run, or a nice heavy weights session, and someone walks in that you can't help but want to impress - for a myriad of reasons that I'll let you determine, hehe. On sight, the heart rate steps up a little, the technique improves instantly, the weight creeps up as much as physically possible, and there's no way you want them to see you cheating in your rep counting. A quick surge of adrenalin hits and you are looking fine, fine, fine!!! That's 'The Zone'!

2. It's the place you really need to dig deep to find. You're doing a weights session, no one is watching, you're hurting, a little bored and can think of a million places you'd rather be. This is the toughest Zone to find but it's in there. It's found somewhere in the mind rather than the muscle, and to tap into it you generally have to complete a quick self-talk session. Find the reason why you are doing what you are doing. Calculate the work you've already done and what you stand to lose if you don't get it finished. Let your mind and your eyes tap into that place of solid and stubborn determination, and get the bloody session finished!!!!! That's 'The Other Zone'!! I usually have to find this one in my garage when I'm all alone and feeling sorry for myself. But, by crikey, these are the workouts that I leave feeling as proud as punch of my efforts.....a la yesterdays plyo legs workout. I finish with a spring in my step and a sense of real accomplishment. Good luck with finding this Zone - it's worth the hunt.

Food wise, all is good. I'm a half tuna, half chicken girl for now and my mood dictates which protein I head for. I have the option of a 3 egg omelette (with only 1 yolk allowed) but the fiddling around puts me right off! I'm not easily tempted to the dark side for the moment but have to admit that I watched My Kitchen Rules the other night and saw the judges bite into a fried profiterole, which made some sort of custard drip out of the bottom. That was at about 7.30pm. By midnight I was STILL thinking about that custard and how it would have tasted, all hot and sweet and oily!!! Thank god we live in a small town where the only available midnight treat is a McD's soft serve cone, and there are 2 issues with those; a) I simply don't like them, and b) the ice cream machine at McD's is normally broken. So, I wiped up the dribble and went back to sleep.

The new cardio regime, which includes a whole range of intense intervals, is what I'm enjoying most of all. It's new and fresh and the results are noticeable quite quickly. Thank goodness for my fit friend who pushes me to the limit. She puts up with me even when I constantly change into her lane while sprinting - why do I do that!!! Training buddies really are worth their weight in gold.

And, the best news of the week for me has been the change in my body. My weight has now dropped to lower than I've been in a whole lot of years. More interestingly though, my biceps have gained a couple of cms, my waist has dropped a fraction (good news for someone who has a torso roughly the shape of a square!!!!), and my hips have dropped a whopping 3 cms!! On my 'glass half full' day, I'm stoked!!! On my 'glass bloody near empty' day, I'm a bit annoyed because none of my jeans fit properly anymore and I'm not the worlds most enthusiastic shopper!!! But all in all, the hard work is paying off and I think I'm heading in the right direction.

I was asked by one of my training clients whether or not I'd keep PTing while preparing for this comp. My answer then, and even more so now, is an emphatic "YES"!! Working with others and helping them achieve their goals is my passion. It keeps me excited and enthusiastic and gets my eyes off myself for a large part of the day. Because eyes-on-self is actually not something anyone should indulge in too much or too often.

That is all from me.