Strength

Well...

...firstly, my nutrition and training have been really strong. I feel healthy - my digestive system is working like it should and apart from DOMS my body is ready and raring to go!

I have no time to waste - I have so much I want to achieve in life - and I know with great health, love and happiness I can do anything. I am so fortunate to have a good balance of those 3 things - and never will I take them for granted.

I am 26 - I am willing to learn - I am willing to experience - my eyes are wide open...

...I found out yesterday that my beautiful Grandpa has throat cancer - a fight which will require the greatest strength but a fight which he will not be alone in. x

Huff & Puff...Puffy...

Ok - just a quick post to say I feel like Mr. Marshmallow (refer to pic above - thats me going grocery shopping....) I am all puffy!! Ok, so my fake tan has washed off which doesnt help but I feel pretty blah...BUT....I am trying not to think about it as I know my nutrition has been good today and my training has been strong - thinking it may be the effects of a chocolate indulgence a few days ago...combined with a bit of the ol' PMS - on a positive note - Im as sweet as it gets!! LOL!

do you ever feel as if someone has hold of you and is squeezing the life out of you. I just don't know hwat's going on with me.... so sick of banging my head against a brick wall....grrrr

anyway, some new ways to keep me on track:
- never talk about other people... it just creates crap in your mind. From now on i will stay focused on the positive and deal with the negative positively... no more gossiping about anyone anytime.... (even about amelia, it'll be a hard one to crack but i'm sure i can do it ROFLMAO... just kidding)

- NO ALCOHOL at anytime in the next 12 weeks (except my wedding night, yes i'm getting MARRIED when i go home!!)

- stick to nutrition program and complete all exercise

blah blah blah.... i want to positively feel awesome today... and just realised whilst typing that i am the only one who can do that and there is no point in feeliing sorry for myself or crappy about what i did on the weekend... time to jump off that srping board with my sites set firmly on those abs of mine!!!

Kickin' Ass (my own)

If you want to reach a goal, you must "see the reaching" in your own mind before you actually arrive at your goal.

It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.

Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.

You cannot tailor-make the situations in life but you can tailor-make the attitudes to fit those situations.

ZIG ZIGLAR

Fishing with Kat

I ALMOST FORGOT!!.....found one of Kat fishing.....!!

My new program

Bicep Curl , DB Incline Bench , Light Cardio....

.....ahhh....just another day at the gym......!!

MY JUNGLE / MY RULES

....I am ready.....

MY KEY

I HAVE SAID IT ONCE AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN!!

THE ONLY KEY TO SUCCESS IS ME ! ! !

I deserve success
I am grateful for my success
I am ready to embrace my success
I am ready to allow my success now
I am ready to enjoy my success now



THE TAMED LION: Strength

The image of a young girl who with her bare hands is closing, without effort, the jaws of a lion. It is the emblem of that strength which is communicated by faith in oneself and by innocence of life.

Remember that deeds necessitate faith in your ability to accomplish them. Proceed with faith: all obstacles are phantoms. In order to become strong, silence must be imposed on the weaknesses of the heart; your duty must be studied, for it is the rule of righteousness. Practise justice as if you loved it.

ZIG / DIRK

One funny thing did happen yesterday though - a friend rang while I was in the car listening to my Goal CD. When she asked what I was doing I said I was listening to Zig Ziglar. Because reception was bad - she thought I said DIRK DIGGLER!!! WAHAHAHAHA - She said what the hell are you learning from him!!? WAHAHAHAHA Now I have no choice but to see Zig with a bit of a Boogie Nights 'twist' to him....!!!!!

Ziglar's 7 essential steps to the top are:

Attitude- a proper attitude helps to control your energy, abilities, and even income

Choosing - you can elect to become the master of your moods, ideas, responses and outlook

Courage - you can learn how to triumph over defeat, despair, ridicule, fear, and other burdens that limit human growth

Goals - when specific goals are set forth, you can take full advantage of opportunities, challenges, ambitions and dreams

How To - by visualising success and following proven methods of personal achievement in areas ranging from winning a contest to dealing with stress, you can attain precise goals in life

Love - discover love in humility, children, friendships, discipline, and kindness, and eliminate hatred from your life through feelings that come from the heart

Perseverance - through concentration, hard work and focused effort, you can get what you want out of life

HEAR ME ROAR !!

...this pic has woken something inside of me...

Self esteem and happiness:

1. Listen to your inner voice and follow them for it is wisdom that knows what is best for you.
2. Talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person you meet.
3. Think only of the best, to work only for the best and expect only the best-you deserve nothing less.
4. Care about the happiness and success of others and offer them all the help and encouragement they need.
5. Forget your past mistakes and focus on your successes encouraging yourself to greater achievements in the future.
6. Always do your best so you can be proud that you gave it your best shot.
7. When you help someone ask nothing in return, you will receive your reward ten times over.

OK - today started off great - did a really strong weights session - and then went to get a coffee....driving back to work holding a takeaway coffee....not always the best. Drove over a speed hump...you know the rest - burns/stains/almost car accident - what an idiot!!

AAANYWWAAAY - I got back to work and was just non-stop - which I normally am - but for some reason today I let things get the better of me. I strained my neck during the coffee incident and struggled to turn my head to the right all day - so the pain went into my neck - and being at work by myself I couldnt step out for a massage and so stretched in my office - which was a million degrees as the aircon is not working and I am wearing a shirt - tie - black pants and heels. So I take my heels off and cross my legs forgetting about a lose nail underneath the bench - so what happens? yep - I ram my big toe into it and swipe off a big piece of skin - oh my god the pain - but of course I had to slip my kitten heel back on for my next meeting - yep pointy pointy pointy kitten heel - imagine...big toe + cut...:-(

Another 100 annoying things happened but I wont go into them - lets just say I skipped lunch and ate chocolate....and as Kat just told me...yes it was Friday 13 and yes there was a full moon that night....

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO it is now the next morning - THANK GOD!! I feel a little tired but Im going to have a GREAT day!! You know that song 'If at first you dont succeed just dust yourself off and try again' - well I am trying again but oh boy WATCH OUT - because I have some serious strategies in place this time - yep goals - but I have been saying 'my goal is....my goal is that...' NOW I am saying 'my goal is...my strategy is...my timeline is...etc' Thanks to my currnet favourite CD - Zig Ziglar GOALS - which helped drill this into me (with a mississippi accent like his you have no choice but to listen - and listen hard!!)

So guys - later today I will be posting my goals - I feel comfortable doing this as I know you have louder CHEERS than a crowd at a Britney Spears concert!! LOL

Stoke that fire...

Ohhh, i'm so excited!!! After a few weeks of feeling a little bit lost, kinda just floating feeling neither good nor bad just you know blah.... i was racking my brain to figure out where all my drive had gone. I was like... "i know i love to feel good, i know i love to work out, so why am i not inspired to do either"??

After a bit of soul searching and a long phone call with Bella (telstra will be LOVING us!!) i fiinally figured it out! My goal was boring! It didn't excite me!! I was like, oh, just lose a few kilos and maintain it... my new goal... get ripped and have noticable abs for my very first boat trip out Whale SHarking this year so i can stand on the back deck feeling better than i've ever felt in my whole life... knowing that i would just spin the hell out of our boat boys gets me revved up in a way i never thought possible!!!! Yes, for this goal i can forgo alcohol, bad food and chocolate cake, for this goal i can get out of bed at 5 am to do WHATEVER IT TAKES ...

NB... just got off phone with my trainer.........he says i can do it!!! YAYAYAYAAYAYAYAAYAYA and admittadley sounded like he had a bit of faith restored in me lol.... i could've easily nicknamed myself sleepy for the passed few weeks!! ok, amped to get ripped woohooo i wanna loookkk hot hot hot.... *sing*dedededededede ole ole, ole ole, ole ole ole ole ole ole...HOT HOT HOT.......

ROFLMAO - all this energy!! too scary....

RIZE !

I really want to see this film RIZE by David Lachapelle - www.rizethemovie.com

"Rize" reveals a groundbreaking dance phenomenon that’s exploding on the streets of South Central, Los Angeles. Taking advantage of unprecedented access, this documentary film brings to first light a revolutionary form of artistic expression borne from oppression. The aggressive and visually stunning dance modernizes moves indigenous to African tribal rituals and features mind-blowing, athletic movement sped up to impossible speeds."

Daid Lachapelle is known for his surreal and provocative photos of celebrities...like this one of Pam - which I think is awesome!!! (so does my boyfriend!! LOL!)

Zen

Hi guys - just a quick check in to say today was a 'very clear' day for me... - I guess what I mean by that is for the first time in ages I felt really 'at peace' with myself...does that sound silly? The weather was really warm - and still - kinda like a storm was brewing - and for the first time in ages everything felt very 'zen'. Today I was able to do a lot of reflecting and set some great goals for this year (and beyond) which I feel really positive about. My nutrition has been good - I need to stop picking at little things (nuts being number one) as they all add up!! Another great thing today was a gorgeous old lady came into work and we got chatting about the town and she told me a local 'secret' that there is organic produce here! Apparently there is an elderly couple who grow organic vegies and sell them to locals! I was so excited! She is giving me the contact details tomorrow - funny how the world works - obviously I was putting out enough vibes about this subject that it finally came my way!! cool!! Now I just have to think about winning Lotto all day!! LOL!

Gee - if only all days were like this - all I need is a japanese garden - sooooo ZEN!!

Powerful Hints to Stop Smoking

Courtesy of Rae C - what a gem!

Whether you are using Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Hypnosis or just Cold Turkey, these strategies and hints are for aiding you to stop smoking and are sure to assist you in helping your neurology change and thus enable you to stop smoking with ease. It is up to you to ensure that you do these things to really enhance what you are doing, the more effort you put into these exercises, the easier it is to stop smoking for good.
Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 1.
Being a smoker is like cycling with stabilisers attached to the wheels, you can find it hard to be balanced without smoking. Now, when you cycle freely again, the natural balance returns. When people smoke, more than half of what they breathe is fresh air - pulled through the cigarette right down into the lungs. So if you feel any cravings you can instantly overcome them by taking three deeper breaths. Imagine breathing from that space just below your belly button. Whenever you do this you put more oxygen into your bloodstream. This means you can use deep breaths to change the way you feel instantly and give you power over the way you feel and help you let go of those old cravings and thus making it easier to stop smoking.

Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 2

Next, think now of all the reasons you don't like smoking, the reasons that it's bad and the reasons you want to stop smoking. Write down the key words on a piece of paper. For example, you experience breathlessness, it's dirty, filthy and your clothes smell, your friends and family are concerned and it's expensive, unsociable and so on. Then, on the other side of the paper, write down all the reasons why you'll feel good when you've succeeded in stopping. You'll feel healthier, you’ll feel in control of your self, your senses are enhanced, your hair and clothes will smell fresher and so on. Whenever you need to, look at that piece of paper.

Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 3

Next, we are going to programme your mind to feel disgusted by cigarettes. I want you recall 4 times when you thought to yourself "I've gotta quit", or that you felt disgusted about smoking. Maybe you just felt really unhealthy, or your doctor told you in a particular tone of voice 'You've got to quit' or somebody you know was badly affected by smoking. Take a moment now to come up with 4 different times that you felt that you have to quit or were disgusted by smoking. Remember each of those times, one after another, as though they are happening now. I want you to keep going through those memories and make them as vivid as possible. The more vivid you make those memories, the easier it will be to stop smoking. See what you saw, hear what you heard and feel how you felt. I want you to take a few minutes now to keep going through those memories again and again, overlap each memory with the next until you are totally and utterly disgusted by cigarettes.

Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 4

Have a think to yourself about the consequences of you not stopping smoking now, if you just carry on and on. Imagine it, what will happen if you carry on smoking. What are the consequences? Imagine yourself in 6 months time, a years time, even 5 years time if you do not stop smoking now. Think of all the detrimental effects of not stopping right now and how a simple decision you make today can make such an impact on your future. Next, imagine how much better is your life going to be when you stop smoking. Really imagine it's months from now and you successfully stopped. Smoking is a thing of the past, something you used to do. Keep that feeling with you and imagine having it tomorrow, and for the rest of next week. In your mind, imagine stepping in to that non-smoking version of you and feel how it feels to be a non-smoker.

Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 5

Also, your mind is very sensitive to associations, so it's very important that you have a clear out and remove all tobacco products from your environment. Move some of the furniture in your house and at work. Smokers are accustomed to smoking in certain situations. So, for example, if you used to smoke on the telephone at work move the phone to the other side of the desk. Throw away ashtrays, old lighters and anything that you used to associate with smoking. Make your environment conducive to stopping smoking.

Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 6

Smokers sometimes use their habit to give themselves little breaks during the day. Taking a break is good for you, so carry on taking that time off - but do something different. Walk round the block, have a cup of tea or drink of water, or do some of the techniques on this programme. In fact, if possible drink a lot of fruit juice. When you stop smoking the body goes through a big change. The blood sugar levels tend to fall, the digestion is slowed down and your body starts to eject the tar and poisons that have accumulated. Fresh fruit juice contains fructose which restores your blood sugar levels, vitamin C which helps clear out impurities and high levels of water and fibre to keep your digestion going. Also try to eat fruit every day for at least two weeks after you have stopped. Also when you stop, cut your caffeine intake by half. Nicotine breaks down caffeine so without nicotine a little coffee will have a big effect. Drink 8-10 glasses of water (ideally bottled) to help wash out your system.

Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 7

You were used to using cigarettes to signal to your body to release happy chemicals, so next we are going to programme some good feelings into your future. Allow yourself to fully remember now a time when you felt very deep ecstasy, pleasure or bliss, right now. Take a moment to recall it as vividly as possible. Remember that time - see what you saw, hear what you heard and feel how good you felt. Where abouts in your body were those feelings, imagine turning them up and spreading them through your body to make them more intense. Keep going through the memory, as soon as it finishes, go through it again and again, all the time squeezing your thumb and finger together. In your mind, make those images big and bright, sounds loud and harmonious and feelings strong and intensified. We are making an associational link between the squeeze of your fingers and that good feeling. Okay, stop and relax. Now if you have done that correctly when you squeeze your thumb and finger together you should feel that good feeling again. Go ahead do that now, squeeze thumb and finger and remember that good feeling. Now we're going to programme good feelings to happen automatically whenever you are in a situation where you used to smoke but now you stop smoking. So, next I'd like you to squeeze your thumb and finger together, get that good feeling going and now imagine being in several situations where you would have smoked, but being there feeling great without a cigarette. See what you'll see hear and take that good feeling into those situations without a need for a cigarette. Imagine being in a situation where someone offers you a cigarette and you confidently say 'No thanks, I don't smoke'. And feel fantastic about it!

Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 8

Get social support.
Your commitment to stopping smoking for the rest of your life can be made much easier by talking about it to friends and family and letting them support you. They will congratulate you on doing so well too! You really did stop smoking.
Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 9

Be aware of making excuses for yourself. Some people talk themselves into smoking, especially if they encounter a stressful situation and in the past they used to deal with it by smoking. If those old thoughts pop into your head, shout the word “STOP” in your head, to stop the thoughts from progressing. Nicotine just stresses your body more and is like that itch that can never be properly scratched; the more you smoke, the more you have to. So say “STOP” and steer clear of old slippery slopes.

Powerful Stop Smoking Hint 10

Reward yourself. Congratulate yourself. Feel how good it feels to stop smoking and be a non-smoker. Treat yourself each time you get past a certain milestone; the first week or first month, the six month target. Let yourself know that you did something really special here. Keep on using your brain, stretching it and helping your self, by running through these exercises time after time; you are sure to be able to make it easier and easier and successfully stop smoking for good.

Copyright 2005 Adam Eason All Rights Reserved.About the Author: Visit Adam Easons website today to have an amazing free mini series of information, tips, techniques and strategies on how to stop smoking; all delivered to you by email. http://www.adam-eason.com Source: www.isnare.com

Thanks so much for this Rae, i've just printed it out and am taking it home for Dan to read too. xxx

Shaky

Hi, well the last few days have been a bit rough. I did my lowerbody work out today, i must say i found myself really short of breathe throughtout my work out, it was SO EMBARRASSING... i think it was from my antics the other night...hmmmm not impressed! Im shaking a lot and am short of breathe, am wondering if it's mild anxiety... maybe im getting withdrawals again. Who knows...but one things for sure, im still really mad at myself, as today would have been another step closer to total FREEDOM, i just feel as if i have gone backwards. I ate a lot of crap yesterday too, full of preservatives... it wouldn't suprise me if it was the preservatives causing me to feel like this either. Anyway, im back on track, now i am free to go ahead and work out as per usual, so am looking forward to a 100% week on diet and exercise! That's my goal for this week, to start working toward my goal of losing 2mm per week until im back down to about 53/54kg. It's only 3kg but i know how hard it can be to budge that last bit. I don't care if it's slow though, i've got the rest of my life, i'd rather get it off slowly and keep it off rather than move it quickly and go up and down as i have been over the passed few months.

So that's me, i feel ok, but good because i know i am making the right decision and am proving to myself and daniel just how strong i really am. The other day he rtied giving me the option to stay smoking until the end of next week when he reckons he'll be ready to quit. It's like the sinking ship scenario i guess, people don't like to be the last ones off as it makes them feel alone and stupid. I supposed he thought that if i smoked until then it wouldn't be so hard for me. Hoewever, when i made the decision to give up i meant it. Going back for me now would just be rediculous, it would be like losing all this weight then saying, well i've had a bad week of eating, so what the heck, lets get fat all over again, and torture myself. Stupid huh, you just wouldn't do it and that's how im treating this stupid addiction. I made a point of telling dan that it will be easier for him to quit if im already over the worsed as i wont be mood swinging, i think he sees my point. He's been good about it, ie not smoking around me and he's smoking ALOT less, and i know deep down he really does want to be where i am , NO SMOKERS ENJOY BEING SMOKERS, and if ALL SMOKERS could have a choice of waking up to never want another cigarette for the rest of their lives they would do it. I guess you just havew to want other things more than the cigarettes to get off them.

ANyw2ay, that's enough from me for today. THanks everyone for all of your support.
luv kat

KITTY KAT :-)

I deserve success
I am grateful for my success
I am ready to embrace my success
I am ready to allow my success now
I am ready to enjoy my success now

Day 8 n feeling great

Actually - i must confess - Daniel and I had a huge fight yesterday (due to my not smoking - i just lost the plot in the afternoon - obviously the nicotine wasn't completely gone !! :( ) I was a sobbing mess - i slipped up - i had a couple of smokes - it felt like shit an di felt even more shit because i thought i had it so in control - anyway - i've been torturing myself about it all night - but i know it was the hugest mistake ever and i know there won't be any more. i should of had something to back me up in that instance but i didn't and just lost it. Bwahhhh how do you go from being ontop of the world at 8am to a blubbering mess by 2 pm. All i can say is nicotine is some serious shit - if that's the effect it has on your body.

On a brighter note - it's a beautiful day, hardly any wind so im taking myself fishing and snorkelling - clean fresh air - i know my confession would have just rocked you guys (r & a) its shaken me up heaps, but im orright, i've dusted myself off and am back up and running, no more 'slip ups' - i wasn't going to tell you's but, thought if i did, then it would force me to stay back on track after i got an ass kicking from you both.

You don't need to tell me how incredibly stupid it was because I KNOW, sometimes you can only take so much before you crack though....and it was the worsed it's ever been before i broke....

anyway done.... ive confessed, im back on track and am off to have some fun!

Day 7 - heading away from heaven....

Well, yep - i made it, got all the way to day 7!!!!! they say it takes 21 days to break a habit, so now i'm a quarter of the way there! woohooo! The best news is though, that the nicotine has pretty much left my body! No withdrawals at all today! I am absolutely on top of the world.

I need to say thankyou to two very special people. Rae and Amelia. Last night Daniel folded and went out and bought a pack of smokes. I thought about it, i wanted to chuck a tantrum and i was mad.... but i handled myself really well..... i went and got the quit smoking diary you bought me amelia and read it with little tears running down my cheeks...tears of happiness...a little frustration but mostly happiness.... at the darkest moment, when i thought about turning around and going back Rae I heard your words...."if you ever touch another cigarette im going to kick your ass!" and you know what, the thought of having to tell you that i'd had one was one of the biggest reasons i abstained. I just want you to know how much you mean to me, and how much respect I hold for you both, i am so thankful to have such supportive, caring friends.

This morning I went for a 50 minute run, god i felt so awesome afterwards. It suddenly occurred to me that i am living my goal... right now, what i have been working towards achieving for the last year and actually wanting to achieve for the last two years I have finally achieved - my ultimate goal - to be a fit and healthy non smoker with a great figure who is happy with themselves. I did it. The contentness i feel is undescribable. I know i'm far from being out of the woods yet, but last night i proved to myself how strong I am. The power of momentum - i just have to keep going.

On a bit of a funny note.... the passed week has seen me having some huge ups and downs - i have had SO many chocolate cravings!!!!! So anyway, i thought to myself "i gotta stop this, it's so bad" so i went and layed down and relaxed and imagined myself being as fat as the girl in shallow hal. I had big fat puffy cheeks, had chocolate smeared all around my mouth and was surrounded by chocolate wrappers....i was saying but it tasted so good....howd i get so big after feeling so awesome for all that time??? and then really concentrated on all the things i love about myself now and why i like being the way i am........ and you know what.... no more choc cravings... o i lie, one yesterday, but i didnt even contemplate it yay, it worked! what they say is true, your subconcious mind does not know the difference between what has really happened and what you show it, I like using this technique, it works for so much!

Anyway, i thought you'd find that amusing.

So that's me, nico free and feelin fit and fantastic! i have the whole weekend off so might bail out from here as i have to come in to work to use net.

take care xxxx

Kat picked a GREENIE!...ahem

Clean, Lean & GREEN!!!

...a very big 2006!

This had to be posted again - this is what awaits Kat for 2006!! WOOHOO! The biggest gold star!! aaah - so much butt kissing !! LOL

New Product Discovery

Even though I try and eat organic as much as possible when I am at my business in the city - its almost impossible to do so when I am at my other business in the country. Weird - I would have thought this country town would have a farmers market or at least small fruit&veg shop - but not so!! Instead there are 2 massive Supermarkets - which I have heard ruined business for the small stores (so much for local support)- so I have no choice but to buy my perishables at Safeway :-( There is an 'organic' section which has the saddest variety (green beans / apples / green beans / and more green beans) and packaged in plastic and polystyrene!! (does this not defeat the purpose of organic?!!!)

Then I went by the milk section (where I normally shudder - remember that website www.milksucks.com that I posted a while back...?) well, instead of thinking about cow udders pumped with hormones I stopped to see a new milk called A2! There is no genetic modification involved in the process, and the tests are non-intrusive to the animals, requiring only a tail hair sample. A2 Milk contains no additives, artificial flavours or colours.

So I popped it into my trolley and am going to try it this afternoon with my coffee - will let you guys know if its MOO or POO....!! x

BAAA stop being a bleatin sheep

Do you ever step away from situations or things that are going on to analyze them or to form your own opion? Far too often we let ourselves play "follow the leader" and blindly march behind so called "experts" without even ever questioning their methods?

If you are having a needle for any reason, do you read the info, do you heed the medical advise or do you do what i have done up until now, throw the empty box and pamphlet in the bin because you assume the Dr knows what they're doing... and who are you to question???

I am fortunate enough to be associated with some very intelligent people via this blog who come from all different walks of lives, have all had various experiences and are all richer from them, and i am richer for having met these people. I have listened to all advice but have got to a point where i am taking responsibility for my own actions. I am in control of my body, but i now have found a way of supporting my own beliefs and ideals. Just because things seem like the norm doesn't always mean they are, the minute you step away / get on the outside and start questioning and analyzing is the day you will truly begin to grow.

A little wisdom from my mere youth... i will get off my soap box now... anyone is welcome to climb on and have they say, i'm eager to hear what you think.

Chemical Waste

www.nutritiondata.com

What USED to be in my fridge that contained Asparatame:
- Diet Yoghurt
- Protein Powder
- Diet Maple Syrup
- Diet Jelly
- Sugar-free Pudding
- Sugar-free lollies
- Diet Cadbury Chocolate
- Diet Coke / Diet Soda
- EXTRA Chewing Gum!!

If you take a look at the ingredients in bodybuilding supplements and protein powders at most health food stores, you'll find that they contain an array of questionable ingredients, such as aspartame, saccharin, fructose, and artificial colors. I've always found it interesting to note how unhealthy many of these bodybuilding products really are. Rather than being made with natural ingredients, they are sweetened with chemicals and made with ingredients that are certainly less than healthful.

Let's take a closer look at the problem with ASPARATAME, and see how it affects the human body. In my opinion, aspartame should have been banned a long time ago due to its toxicity and potential for nerve damage. When aspartame is consumed, it breaks down into two chemical compounds in the human body: formic acid and formaldehyde. Formic acid is an irritant -- the same chemical produced by fire ants -- and doesn't belong in the bloodstream. But the bigger problem here is formaldehyde. Formaldehyde, as you may remember from high school biology class, is a preservative. Now, this doesn’t mean that by consuming aspartame you are going to stop aging. Rather, it means that you are going to suffer the side effects from ingesting this preservative chemical.

Formaldehyde is listed as an environmental toxin by the EPA, and when ingested in the human body, it causes widespread nerve damage: damage to the optic nerve, brain cells, and the nerve cells that control body movement. That's why aspartame has been so strongly linked to migraine headaches, muscle tremors, vision problems, and mental confusion. These are characteristics that most bodybuilders should hope to avoid. After all, how can you appear healthy if your nervous system is being destroyed by a toxic ingredient you are consuming on a regular basis?

In the meantime, I urge bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts to start reading the labels of the foods, drinks, and energy bars they purchase, and check for chemical sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose, and saccharin. These chemical sweeteners should be avoided at all costs by any person concerned about their health.

Up and At Em!

Well, i am pleased to say that once again I finally feel human! I went for a run yesterday, only 20 mins though as it's the first time i've ran in about 3 weeks, then went out again this morning and ran for about 30 mins. Felt much more comfortable today and just wanted to keep running!

The one thing that set me off this morning back on to my path of self love and worth was that i put my gym top on and it creeped back up over my hips (bugger!) then i started running and my thighs were rubbing profuself (double bugger!) I hadn't realised how much i'd advanced , then was so mad at myself for sliding back so far! It's mad me relaise that i really do have to pay more attention to myself, listen to my body and step on all the fleas! It certainly got me back on track, i now have an extra sense about my body, i know what works for what, what effects my stomach, when i have put a little bit of weight on, i really just think i need to start listening to myself!

So, as a reward for eating clean all day, getting myself back on track with my eating and being on day 5 as a non smoker i went crazy on Rockwears web site and bought myself a heap of new gym wear! YAY, can't wait for it to get here.

Doing first weights session tomorrow... TOO EXCITED....back on track and pleased!

Real Girls!

Came across this book the other day - thought it would be a great pressie for a teenage girl...a good introduction for a positive self :-)

Taking a holistic approach to loving, accepting, and nurturing oneself, this vibrantly illustrated cookbook offers healthy tips for both the mind and body. Rather than pushing teens to diet, this empowering volume celebrates food and encourages girls to stop obsessing about what they should and should not eat and encourages them to indulge in what is best for them nutritionally. Lushly designed, the book also contains numerous simple, healthy, and delicious recipes from the author's sister, a California-based celebrity chef, as well as favorite meals from real girls from around the world.


2nd day of clean eating and I think the whites of my eyes are brighter - I know that sounds weird but I feel like a rabbit in headlights (but in a good way!) - bright eyed and bushy tailed!! LOL!

Thinking of creative ways for sauces - especially for my grilled chicken - maybe a ratatoui addition: chopped capsicum/cucumber/tomato with browned onion...mmm. Again its all about being organised. I plan to make a couple of varieties for the week - but will use an organic salsa for my meat - and something herby for the fish...talk about getting back to basics in the kitchen!!

I have not missed dairy or protein powder AT ALL - I dont even use it after weight training - and my 'funny tummy' has completely disappeared!! Its amazing how much money you can spend on supplements - I had to seriously question the benefits (and not ignore the negatives) and if I could get what I needed from 'real' foods - obviously I opted for REAL and even if this choice requires a litte more preparation - I save both money and the confusion I put my body through (particularly in the digestive department!!)

Oh - then I looked at the nutritional info of my protein powder - 22 ingredients!!! - most I couldnt even pronounce!! Scary stuff...

Rollercoaster

Is the ride finished yet?? I wannnnnaaaaa ged oooooooooffffffff

shouldda stayed in bed

o0k, i wish i could write something positive, but i woke up feeling ok, then after being awake for a while i started feeling like poo.... my bodys spinning out on me, i wanna just cry and throw a big tantrum, i taking lots of deep breaths and drinking tonnes of water but i am super hungry@! then to top it all off i was starving at meal 1, went to eat my snack and my chicken was OFF !! bugger... so ate lunch early, then ended up starving a couple of hours later so went to eat afternoon snack and it was raw! bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh so then ordered shit food because i felt so crap which made me feel more crap and now i just wannnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaa go to bed so i can wake up on a new day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

on a positive note starting weights again friday......... hopefully by then i'll be over nico cravings.... day 5 tomorrow (thank frikkin god)this better be over soon or i really think i'll end up commited!

THE POWERFUL HAWK

All I want to say is THANK YOU RAE for double daring me - I have eaten 100% clean today and I feel ON TOP OF THE WORLD!!

Goodbye:
- dairy
- protein powder
- anything 'sugar-free' & 'fat-free'
- GOODBYE CHEMICALS!

Hello:
- easy digestion
- no gas
- energy
- HELLO GOOD HEALTH!


THE BRAIN FOG HAS LIFTED - WELCOME CLEAR BLUE SKIES!!

P.S - Thought you would appreciate the hawk in blue skies Rae ;-) x

PHYSICAL CHALLENGE!

Well, ever since Rae double dared me to have a day of clean eating - I made a promise to myself to do so. And yes, I do feel better despite having this head cold and still feeling the sleep deprivation from the weekend! I have written up my nutrition and training for the next 6 weeks and I am going to stick with it! Nothing makes me feel worse than eating crap - and I just have to remind myself of that before I lunge for the cookie tin! I have also started a 'daily journal' to help keep me on track which I will write my feelings/nutiriton/exercise for the day - this helps me stay focused and its good to see the goals I have achieved(even if they are small ones!)

2006 I am going to be the strongest I have ever been - I know how I want to look in my jeans and how I want to be inside (body & mind) - no excuses!!

I dare ya

I double dare ya

Physical Challenge!!!

...do any of you remember that TV show? I used to watch it religiously when I was a little tacker - how funny that its relevant to my life today! LOL!

scrambled/.@3#%^<

Day 3
Woofrikkinhoo......
Ok, well, still not smoking - this has got to be the longest period of abstinenance in a long time! I'm feeling on edge, like my head is goign to start doing 360's a million miles an hour and pop off, i want to chuck a paddy as this dude on my rigtht is doing and am feeling sorry for my poor customers, i'm not wearing my overly friendly hat today, more like the "what the HELL do YOU WANT???" hat :)

I just spoke with my trainer and bella, just for the record, the fact that i've quit and am shoving chocolate down my throat wasn't ok, roflmao (we thought it wmay have been because the fact that i'm not smoking is so good) anyway - it's SO not!- after admitting though i hadn't called because i didn't want to tell him that i'd been eating junk he just said that it's better for me to be honest...so...just for future record, letting your body win instead of your mind is NOT ok, and just to top things off apparently i'm ovualting - kinda funny having A MAN know that when you have no freekin idea where ur at...and apparently that makes the cravings worse! i wanna go and hide!!





On a positive note though, at least im kickin butt... that is good, even if i feel so lousy, although, am probably feeling lousy because of all the alcohol and chocolate i've fed myself over the passed couple of days. I am putting an end to it now though! no more! i must say, my trainer was very good about the whole situation but had this incredible way of sort of saying "it's really not good enough" without actually having to say it... beating myself ups probably enough punishment anyway!

FROM HERE ON IN IT"S ALL ABOUT STAYING STRONG FOR THE UNBEATABLE DUO KAT & BELLA

So although feeling tired, bloated and lethargic, i'm feeling fu$%ng awesome because i really have finally found the motivation and strength to kick my stinkin worsed habit! 2006 can only get better from here! youp yoooo...bring it on BABY! hahahaha it can't get any worse... shit now i think i'm dellusional... gonna go and spin myself out somewhere else.... on a final note...


So much to do

Do you have so much to do that is seems overwhelming? Then stop thinking about how much there is and start getting it done.
Feeling overwhelmed is merely a state of mind that you choose. And just as easily as you can choose it, you can choose to let it go.
A new day, a new month, a new year dawns and it can make you feel like time is quickly slipping away. But in fact, time comes to you just as quickly as it moves past.
And that means that each moment you get the opportunity to make a difference. Each moment, the best thing you can do is to make full and meaningful use of that moment.
That is how you get things done. Moment by moment, little by little, small tasks build into great accomplishments, and accomplishments build into a life with real fulfillment.
You don't have to tackle everything all at once. Just do what you can, when you can, filling each moment with positive purpose and action.
And what once seemed overwhelming will quickly become a source of real and lasting fulfillment.
-- Ralph Marston

BRAIN FOG!

Ohhh boy - what a new years eve! I was actually in bed by 1:30 - but as I dont normally drink I really felt the effects of a hangover the next day - blah!

I feel a bit groggy today - it was like I was bitten by a Tse Tse fly and I slept 11hours last night!! I have promised myself only 2 coffees today and minimum 3 ltrs water - then hopefully I will be back to normal tomorrow!

I can also feel the side effects of a head cold...nooooooooo!!

star 1 on star chart

well my New years eve was huge, but fun! it was exactly how i wanted it to be. It was my and Dans new years resolution to quit smoking together in 2006 - i had my last cigarette with him, i think he was a bit shocked that i was actually going through with it, i told him that this is something i have been preparing for for weeks! the last couple of days i have been doing heaps of neuro linguistic programming to help me get pshyched, it's working, when i get a craving fit kat appears in my head. I sat with dan and had my last cigarette and told him that i refused to sit back and be the idiot paying to kill myself fu$k them (them being the owners / chair persons of cigarette companies) nd i refused to die prematurely or waste another day of my life feeling like shit because of them... fu@k them again!

so, i made a little star chart. Every day we're non smokers we each get a star, at the end of every week with a complete set of 7 stars we get a reward, this week im getting a facial, next week a massage, the week after a new set of skin care and the week after that a scale and clean so i have a fresh new mouth! (i'd get this done first but it takes us a month to get in to the dentist...

i got excited this morning and said i get a goal star ... dan said... i want a gold star too... i told him hed have to stop smoking then id give him one lmao - juvenile i know but it seems like it'll work, yes, i now answerable to my fridge (where the chart hangs)

anyway, going to go as im still feeling the effect of NYE, gonna go cook a yummy clean brekky....see if it'll help me feel more energetic!

xxx

SHE RA !

After reading Raes latest blogs (which have sooo got me off my christmas ass) about being a warrior of 'no retreat / no surrender' - I went to find my own woman on a horse!...and here I am - SHE RA PRINCESS OF POWER! and my trusty horse SWIFT WIND! :-)

I have been feeling so yuck since Christmas - my cold sore hasnt helped - but I AM BACK!

Thanks to my trusty sidekick Kat for shaking some sense into me and to Rae for motivating me to find my own horse and continue my journey - I can honestly say BRING ON 2006!

Giddy up Swift Wind we have some serious riding to do!

This one could be you Kat (she has the bigger b***bs) LOL!

The power of goal setting...

Funnily enough... after embarking on a new leg..well actually more like intending to embark on a new leg of 'fitness in my life' i have been sitting around waiting to get motivated. So anyway, today i went in and start to read my copy of Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto.

I got to the goal setting part and thought...yep it's finally time to do it... AND OH MY GOD the sheer thought of my goals got me revved up again like a maniac. Woohoo- ran straight out and got a book to use as my diary...i'd forgotten what it feels like to have something to work towards!!! YAY...

So that's it for me...into it again... i now know what i've been missing... direction...so simple but sometimes so hard to sit down and take the time to find....

Thanks Santa...

Santa gave me a cold sore christmas morning. thanks.

Am relieved its all over - time now to 'get back into it' - just waiting for the gym to re-open!! Heard a rumour it wont be until Jan 2!! - they should be open christmas afternoon - who doesnt want to work off that pudding ASAP!!??

This is how a country gym should look like...ahem...

Jokes on me...

Well, i'm back after a fun chrissy and am really looking forward to get stuck back into training in the new year!

All the bad behaviour of late has to have some consequences though...i've put back on a couple of kilos! Buger...bugger...bugger.... funnily enough i know i stack weight on just by looking at food, however it really didn't seem to stop me when the beer eski was opened and the trifle came around the table....it's gonna take me 4-6 weeks just to get back to where i was before i lost direction!

Other than that am SO SO excited about the New Year and what it will bring for me...actually what i'm going to go out there and get!

I want to go into 2006 in total control...at times it feels like that in itself is sSO far away....however after pondering something Rae said to me ages ago about life time habits not changing over night i decided that everyday i have to make a concious decision to reverse one of my bad habits and reinforce it positively! After all, they will always be bad habits if i can't get me head around changing them.

Tell me, does anyone else get really cranky when they're tired?? OMG i feel like i turn into a possessed woman; this miserable grouchy negative person replaces me... i don't want to tlak to anyone...i'm like "just go away...!" that's the biggest thing i have to change in 2006!

Raes recent post made me relaise that it's time to start taking responsibility for my life... after all, it's my life, my choice and no one else can do anything about it!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM KAT & BELLA!!

Store Wars!

The team:
HAM SOLO (kat)


PRINCESS LETTUCE (me)


WATCH THE STORE WARS IN ACTION !!!:
http://www.storewars.org/flash/index.html

CHEWBROCCOLI

TOFU D2

OBI WAN CANNOLI

CUKE SKYWALKER

Its good to laugh..!!

Late night munchies

Married life exists in the animal kingdom

Bed Hog

How to impress a woman at the gym...