Technically I am past the middle of my 8-week challenge, but so much has changed that I just wanted to make an update on my progress and what not. 

My resolution for 2016 was mainly to lose weight, exercise more, and get healthier. I attempted the Kayla Itsines BBG back in January but I failed miserably and fell off the bandwagon. Last Friday (12/02) I asked one of the girls i work with (who is also a PT) when she does her PT sessions. She then mentioned that she had just started an 8 week challenge that Monday. After some weekend pondering, i decided i would commit and join in the challenge, even if it meant missing the first week.So technically I am doing a 7 week challenge, but nevertheless its still a challenge. That brings us to now...first week done and dusted. I thought I would do a update of the past week, including how my eating has been and a few other tidbits.

Exercise

This week I did boxing on Monday, strength training Tuesday, fitness testing Wednesday and cardio/circuit on Friday.

On Wednesday we had to run/walk a km as quick as possible for our fitness testing, and it was honestly the hardest thing I had done in a long time. I used to go on little walks quite often, and id usually knock a km out in 10 minutes. I can't remember what time I made on Wednesday, but to my knowledge it was somewhere between 6-8 minutes. My legs were burning, my breathing was heavy, it was hard. Ultimately by the end of this, i want my breathing to be more steady when jogging, and I want my endurance to pick up.

Ultimately, I surprised myself with how well i did this week. I was determined not to give up, and even when i felt so rotten and sick, i still got my ass over there and gave it my all. Yesterday I may have pushed myself too much as my heart rate was well and truly over my peak range.

Nutrition

My eating has been the best it has ever been lately! I have the same thing for lunch everyday (still not sick of it yet!) I have about 1 - 2 cups of rice, 1-2 breasts of chicken (seasoned with paprika and Cajun), corn kernels, steamed veggies (i just get the packets of broccoli and beans from the frozen section), and some sweet chili. Besides the sugar in the sweet chili, it honestly isn't a bad meal.

I have noticed that my metabolism has sped up to CRAZY levels, so quickly! I am hungry...ALL. THE. TIME. I have yet to get my breakfast down pat, and my snacking isn't up to par, as i don't think i am fuelling my body with enough food.

Mental Health

I would be lying if i told you I have never been happier. This week was HARD. It was also "that time" which i personally like to call 'Shark Week', so my hormones were causing havoc...TMI but I like to keep it real here. The first couple of days I was emotional on all different levels. I was happy one minute, then sad the next. On Wednesday night, I came home after my workout and just cried in my partners arms. not like hysterical sobbing, but just a few sniffles to let it all out. I was WRECKED. It is now Saturday, and I am feeling pretty good. My energy levels aren't too bad, and my anxiety is okay.

Health

Besides being sore and generally exhausted, my health isn't too bad. I have still been getting little lumps in my throat and waves of nausea, however my body has been through a lot this week, so I am not concerned.

WEEK ONE SUMMARY DONE

i can't wait to come back in another 6 weeks, and see how much has changed/improved!

So a fair few posts ago I talked about 'pumped up kicks' and now, my friends, we are diving into one of my other passions besides health and beauty...MUSIC! I have always loved music since I was very young. My dad used to play us an eclectic range of music in the car, and I remember growing up listening to music very different to the kids around me. I was in school choir all through primary school, and at one stage I stood in the bathroom at around age 12 and I told my mum that one day I was going to grow up to be like Shania Twain, and I'd write music and sing like a boss. That pipe dream didn't happen, but i have never stopped loving music. I love how music can capture and emphasize any moment in time. It can help in sadness, it can make you feel happy, it can help you relax, it can motivate you to clean your house even! Today, I thought i would share with you a few of my current favourite jams for when i am working out!

If you want to follow my gym playlist on spotify, follow this link 'here'! I am constantly adding more music.

Run the World (Girls) - Beyonce  - ultimate girl power hit. It makes me want to dance and work hard. 7/11 is also pretty mint.

Propoganda - DJ Snake - trap music is my go to for working out, especially when I am power walking or doing weights, which lets be real, its pretty much all i do.

Birthday Cake -Rihanna - this is my 'sexy' song. everyone needs a sexy song in their playlist to make them feel confident and BOSS when working out.

Drunk In Love (Remix) - Beyonce, Jay Z, Kanye West - I love the remix part of this more than the actual song...ya did good yeezy.

Coming Over - Dillon Francis - this is just a feel good song, with a hint of trap music/electro to it.

Lush Life - Zara Larsson - my current top hit at the moment! just makes me want to move! Must admit I have busted a few moves listening to this...while in the shower...okay I just swayed, but still..i moved.

Pop Dat - 4B, Aazar - a recent find for me, but this is another trap song, perfect for weights.

Not everyone agrees with the whole 'new year, new me' notion. I think its a beautiful thing, that on the same day, many people come together to work on themselves. Of course you can make a change any day of the year, it does not need to be January 1st. My 'wake up call' just so happened to be around the new year, so it is perfect timing.

I am going to share with you my goals for 2016 and how I break my 'main' goals down into more realistic and precise goals. It is important to break down your goals so you have things set to work on. If you say you want to lose weight, HOW are you going to do this? By setting goals within goals, you are giving yourself something to grasp and work on. I also have a bucket list for the year at the end, where I have a few little things I want to get done in 2016.

Lose Weight & Work Out

As you know, I have been struggling with anxiety and depression since July this year. This wasn't new for me, as I dealt with it quite intimately (depression and i go way back) back in august 2011, however it was hard as I felt like I was finally starting to find my footing. My anxiety is starting to slowly decrease (it is a LONG process, but I see improvement everyday), but I know there are some days where I just need to relax and unwind. I thought I would share my tips on what I do to help myself relax.

1. Pamper

I really need to start taking better care of my skin (me without makeup = disaster zone), so I have been trying to stick to a routine with cleansing my skin. I find it EXTREMELY relaxing to put on a face mask, and let it soak in whether I am in the bath, or having a long shower. There is nothing more satisfying than drenching a face towel in warm water, and scrubbing the mask of your face. The warm skin is soothing as well, and will pull out toxins in your skin.

2. Listen to music

I try to listen to music while I am at work, not only to pass time, but to also take the focus off my mind. When  I am listening to music, I am in control of my mind more. I can't explain how. Try putting on some soothing music, and having a nice warm shower. I sometimes sit in the bottom of the shower and let the water hit my back, with music playing in the background (having a wicked karaoke session of course!). I Suggest checking out Shawn Mendes' "A Little Too Much" as it is a  MUST if you are struggling with a dark cloud surrounding you. My other personal favourite is Twenty One Pilots. Their music is raw and honest when it comes to depression, anxiety and life.

3. Exercise

I notice that after exercising I am less stressed, and more relaxed. Funny how the body works hey? Going for a walk is scientifically proven to relieve stress and to calm your body and mind. Another option is to go for a walk with your mum, or a friend. You will be so focused on chatting, that you won't even realise you are working out, and it will help relieve some stuff off your chest. Weights are also good if you want to release anger or frustration!

4. Write it down

Writing your feelings down can be challenging. Sometimes you might find it hard to put your thought process down on paper. Other times, what you are feeling might make you anxious by thinking about it and maybe even writing it can make you feel vulnerable. After you do write it down, however, you will feel lighter. No matter how hard it is to talk about something, once you relieve a bit of it, the load gets easier to carry.


Remember, you are not alone, and every day is another day to be happy and to make progress on your  journey.

It's the end of my first week of this "healthy journey" and I thought I would create a little snapshot into what went down (inspired by Allys Bubble). It is currently nearly 10 pm on saturday night, and i have 7 men in my lounge room watching a League of Legends World Championship....and then I am waking up in the early hours of the morning to watch the Rugby World Cup Final! (GOOOO AUSTRALIA!). Anyway, carrying on....

Exercise:
On monday I completed the first day of Kayla Itsine's BBG 1.0 pre-training week one. I couldn't get through it all as I wasn't feeling well due to my monthly "visit" making me quite unwell. I then had a big day wednesday so I skipped my wednesday workout, but I managed to squeeze it in on thursday. It was arms and abs AND JESUS can I just say my stomach is still hurting! Like getting out of bed is so painful that I literally have to roll onto the floor. I am going for a walk with my mum tomorrow, so that will make 3 workouts...which is a good start!

Food:
I actually surprised myself this week with how well i did with what i ate. Dinners usually consisted of plenty of veggies and meat. However, EVERY day for lunch I had a salad. We have a cafe at work, and prior to this week i would have like hotdogs, hot chips, pies etc (not in one day obviously). Instead I ordered a sweet chilli chicken salad, with one boiled egg. They make it fresh and it is honestly the tastiest slice of heaven. 

Working on:
Still need to work on my water intake. I swear you will have NEVER met someone as bad at drinking water than me. I am hopeless. I have however still had no coke, and i even cut out my lunch time soft drink. I have been having powerade instead (i know its full of sugar, but until I can force myself to drink water, it will have to do). 

Mental Health:
Surprisingly i am feeling quite happy this week! I think it's because I was a bit more social! On tuesday, Brad took me out on a date, and then on friday, we went out for dinner. Usually I hate doing things during the week, but it felt good to do something instead of coming home, watching tv and then going to bed. My boss has noticed a difference in my personality, which honestly makes me feel like i am improving and i am changing. 

Reading:
I picked up "An Abundance of Katherine's " the other night, but I can't dwell on it too much as I passed out after a couple of pages. I do however really want to start reading this book my mum gave me called 'A New Earth' by Eckhart Tolle.

Loving:
Painting! I am painting everyone some art for christmas presents (managed to get all my canvases and paint for 150 dollars ) and I have been loving how cathartic (is that the right word?) it is. I feel relaxed when its just me, music and my paint brush.  I have also been loving playing around with makeup more. I feel like when I get so focused on my health and fitness, my passion for beauty takes a breather. I really want to make sure I keep multiple passions alive during this journey, as I believe its possible to be both a fitness freak & a beauty lover. 


That is all for this week! I am looking forward to a new week, for new improvements and new goals. x