Monthly Archive for December, 2007

Holidays! 

Well it has been some time since I last posted.  I’ve been on holidays J  Well, kinda.  I’ve had some time off (well deserved in my eyes!) over Christmas and New Year.  I really needed to stay away from my computer as much as possible!  I’ve been to Victor Harbor and Adelaide, for 4 nights, after Christmas Day at mum’s, then dinner at my sister in law’s.  I’m still in Adelaide at present, but we are heading home tomorrow after visiting the Central Market to fill up our esky with seafood, fruit and veg.  I’ve had the entire week off training.  I had been having some trouble with my groin/hamstring injury flaring up again and figured it would be a good time to take a bit of a break.  The diet has well and truly been ‘liberal’ but that was always intended and whilst I feel a bit blah from the different food (as in rich, sweet, fat food) I’ll be back into the swing of things with a vengeance as of when I get home.  I’ve signed up back at my old (new!) gym so a change of pace and place, will be good.  It’s closer to our new house too so it’s more convenient.

Coffee with Ali

I caught up for a coffee with Ali this morning who is also in Adelaide, and got to meet her lovely daughter.  Ali and I chatted mostly about comps, diets and training – as you do J  Ali is working on coming to Mildura in the next couple of months which will be great.

What’s in store for early 2008?

So, 2008 is shaping up to be a huge year already.  We have the WHO Magazine article coming out on Jan 11, featuring Carolyn’s amazing transformation.  That same week I travel to Brisbane for a few days to visit Rachel to do some staff training.  I had fantastic news from a client last week that unfortunately I can’t share until about February!   It’s very exciting though and could involve a trip to Melbourne for me in early Feb providing I can arrange a few things.  I also hope to have an article published soon by Body & Soul liftout (Herald Sun, etc) – they have expressed interest so I will take it from there.

I have my own personal plans but will not elaborate for the moment.  Basically they involve beating my dependence on muscle relaxants to sleep – involves a detox program and I can expect nasty side effects from withdrawal and acute rebound insomnia.  I have counseling sessions booked and I will begin this very scary phase after I return from Brisbane.  There is no way to determine how long it will take for symptoms to diminish but the longer you have been taking them, the longer recovery appears to take.  Not a good sign for me as it’s been over 10 years.  However, I am looking at it positively.  I also plan to compete – date is tentative in my mind.  Following that, we would like to try to start a family!  I’m getting on a bit, so whether it happens remains to be seen I suppose, but at least I know everything was and still is working down there, it appears I am still ovulating regularly and my cycle is pretty much like clockwork.

Anyway, so I hope everyone had a fab Christmas.  If you overate and feel like crap, no biggie.  Put it behind you and focus on making 2008 your best year yet, no matter what your goals!

Winners ‘make’ it happen. Losers ‘let’ it happen.”

- Denis Waitley

Well, here I am, writing in my new blog.  It may take a bit of getting used to, a little different to the Blogger sofware.  So, my trip to Melbourne was a long, long day.  It was a little eye opening, if I could put it that way.  I only got 4 hours sleep so by the end of the day I was shagged.  Sharon met me at the airport and we went to a Port Melbourne cafe to have coffee and chat.  6 hours later (yes that’s right, 6 hours) she dropped me off at Wayne’s office in Moorabbin.  I sat with him whilst he had lunch (I wasn’t hungry, yet had barely eaten anything), then we went to another cafe and we chatted about comp stuff and reminisced about old times, in particular our funny trip to the US back in 2002. 

Competition

I have a lot of thinking to do about my approach to competition and if even do it.  I still want to, but there are many factors involved.  Let’s just say that stress has played a bit of havoc in my life in the past and recently (mostly job stress at present) and that I really need to learn to relax and unwind at the end of a day.  At present (well now in past) my days have been haywire for the simple reason that I have no schedule.  My schedule can vary widely and will depend on how well I sleep (or not), how much work I have on, my training, my appointments, and other every day committments.  So, I’ve concluded that stress is the major contributing factor to a number of issues I have at the moment.  The first step to dealing with this is to make a daily schedule which means being up at 6.30am every day and off to do cardio – yes, every day.  I will schedule a good 6 hours every day for sitting at my desk and working (I am extraordinarily efficient and can get a lot done in this time ), 2 hours for lunch which can be used for whatever I need to do, or, if I need a nanna nap   No more working in the evenings.  They are for relaxing.  I’ve had a bit of an issue with defining my business/personal life.  So, this will really help and I already feel much better for it.

I’ve reduced my intake of various supplements, and keeping the basics only – a multi, vit B, C, antioxidants, MRM Smart Blend oils, glutamine, BCAA’s and my adrenal mix.  Every night I take a muscle relaxant to help me sleep.  This is a habit that has developed over the past 10 years and it is time for me to look for another way.  At present, and for as long as I can remember, my mind is just so active at night.  I have trouble winding down.  So, I’m going to go to see someone about a plan to come off these gradually, as well as learning relaxation/meditation techniques.  I doubt if I would do this whilst preparing for a comp as the effects of sleep deprivation will be very difficult to handle with my busy workload as well as trying to train 2-3 x day and diet.  I simply cannot function without at least 7 hours (8 or 9 is better!) every night.

At the moment I am still going gluten and dairy free, and I do already feel much better.  More alert, not as much need to sleep during the day.  However, more alert, is not so good for me in the evening!! 

Ok it’s time to clock off   More soon.