This article will have your hackles rising! But be honest – did you ever think this way yourself before having a child? I know I tried to keep an open mind about how tough it would really be, but I must admit a big part of me thought that I would just ‘make’ it work for me and my crazy schedule. Which I kind of do from time to time, but still. You know what I’m saying!
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Amazingly, I actually have the time to drop by and say hi today. It’s 7.34am and A is still out cold (probably just jinxed myself there!) and – what’s even more amazing - I’ve already knocked 2 biggies off today’s list. I’m using a new technique to get things done, and it’s working incredibly well. It’s called the Pomodor0 technique, and is an idea I stole from blogger (and one of my online mentor’s) Sarah Wilson. I honestly can’t believe how much more focused it’s made me!
When I’m focused and feeling productive, I have to tell you my happiness quota pretty much soars. And not only that; I find myself feeling more confident, more determined, and basically just more on. Do you know what I’m saying? It becomes easier to push myself through a killer workout, or even to push beyond what I’ve set for myself. I feel motivated to eat completely clean or to say no to that extra cup of coffee. I find myself willingly switching the computer on after dinner (okay, I know that’s not always a healthy habit but so long as you set clear time-limit or time cut-off boundaries I think it works) and actually enjoying getting one extra ‘chunk’ of output done before switching off. It all just kind of flows in together. Productivity begets productivity, or something like that.
The really cool thing is that (and I’ve noticed this before) when I get into this flow state of action, good things just seem to keep happening to me. For example, I’ve been invited to contribute to a new and very much rising start aggregate blog, and have also been asked to guest post on a couple of other really cool sites. On top of that I’ve been given just about the best networking contact I could hope for in the magazine world. And I think I may have even found our dream house (find out today if we got it!). I really believe that this sort of day to day success comes back in large part to where your focus is, as well as to an attitude of gratitude toward the things that have already worked or are currently working.
On another note, this week I’m about to begin a brand new training and eating/supplement regime. IN the past 5 weeks I’ve dropped 4.5 kg on the scales, and now it’s time to focus on getting harder (physically, I mean, although I suppose mentally can’t hurt either!). I’ll keep you posted.
What’s working for you at the moment?
Babies are all about routine. That’s a given. Get them into a routine and they thrive. They’re happy, they eat well, they sleep well, and the world runs smoothly. Of course that’s just what I’ve heard, since personally I seem to be an absolute failure at creating a routine. This is definitely in part due to my ‘all over the place’ schedule. Some days work, some days clients at home, some days writing, some days just trying to LIVE and be ME. Whoever that is. But the truth is that I can’t blame my schedule. I know full well that even were I at home 24/7 I, well, wouldn’t be at home. I’m highly skilled at filling time; thinking up new tasks and challenges, and should ever my to do list dwindle to a mere 20 or so daily items I seem to almost robotically commit myself to new ventures.
I’m not complaining. I mean really, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d go insane sitting around all day, as would anyone I think.
One interesting thing that has come from all living this way plus baby is my training and eating routine has gone out the window. I have no rhythm, no structure, and you know what? I’m kinda liking it. I’ve spent long enough living in fear of going more than 2.5 hours without eating, or wondering what dreadful outcomes will eventuate should a shred of pasta pass my lips on a social occasion or if I have to skip a workout. In the past that just wouldn’t have happened. Meals? Planned and mostly prepared days in advance. Pyrex containers full of goodness filled the fridge for every outing. And training? Two a day was standard. Bikram plus weights, weights plus sprints, whatever the combo there was definitely plenty of exercise. And I honestly can’t remember skipping a workout even when sick in recent years.
It’s been an interesting learning curve, but I really think it’s been very good for me. Nothing like shaking things up now and then!
How about you; what’s your experience been of trying to stick to a routine for your own needs?
I’m really enjoying the journey at the moment. Considering Alyssa has basically not slept since Friday, that’s really saying something! People (who don’t have kids) often ask me how I cope, or say they don’t know how I cope, in terms of a lack of sleep. I was chatting about this with a friend on Sunday and we agreed that it’s not the tiredness that gets you. Tiredness I can handle. I’ve been there with full-blown insomnia for 3 years when my marriage ended. Compared to that, even getting up 10 times in one night is a walk in the park as the combined total sleep is still greater than that of an insomnia night! The challenge is in the loss of control. I have to be honest – I’m a very selfish person by nature. And so much of me still can’t stand that I can’t do what I want day to day. I miss going to Bikram whenever I want, I miss being able to write uninterrupted and get a real sense of flow, I miss coming home after a long day and just doing nothing if I felt like it. And I totally get that what I’m (we’re 
) dealing with is about a greater sense of purpose and so worthwhile for so many reasons. But. I don’t think I’ll ever miss having full control over my life! And I just can’t get over how much I didn’t appreciate my earlier freedom!
Anyway, despite all of that, life is really good. I’ve re-structured my client time so I’m only doing Tuesday/Wednesday, and have spoken to the childcare centre about getting A in one day a week, and that’s going to be my full-on writing day. So the rest of the week I can just focus on being me and being a Mum. I’m sick of wearing 6 different hats every day! I think it’s time to set some new big-picture goals – this process (life) is all about continual fine-tuning, after all.
So what’s new with you?
I’m so unreasonably happy. And so don’t care that my happiness should or shouldn’t be related to my weight. It is. Get over it.
Lamb and almonds for breakfast, high-intensity circuit coming up, amazingly good, almost smoky coffee in front of me – life is good
That is all.
This blog has basically evolved into a bit of a journal just for my own use. I’ve actually never really bothered to market it and so the readership is still fairly low, at least compared to Body Incredible. When I first started out I had big plans to become the ‘expert’ on getting back in shape post-pregnancy.
What I’m realising, of course, is that it’s not such a simple game, and most definitely a highly individualised one. So whilst I can work with a client in person and help them figure out what will/won’t work for them – particularly through BioSignature – I’m hesitant to spout forth general advice through this forum. And truth be told I’m more than happy to just jump on once a week or so and spew forth some of my thoughts, feelings and plans. It’s quite therapeutic. And hey, if you happen to be reading then that’s cool and definitely feel free to comment.
Today I am feeling CH-Chunky. Chunky with a capital chunk. I don’t really mind, to be honest. Well. Let’s face it. No gal loves the feeling of ever-so-slightly-yet-definitely-impossible-to-ignore pressure against the button of her Diesels. But I gotta be honest – I don’t have an excuse.
Yesterday I worked a full day from 6am until 7pm, and by the time I got home and unpacked my bag it was definitely looking like a take-away kinda night. We’re quite lucky in that we have an awesome Thai takeaway nearby; the food is so clean and fresh, and can come sauce free so therefore 100% paleo. Although I’m not so sure it’s grass-fed meat, but hey, you get the picture. Anyway. Problem is, they also do a mean coconut rice, and absolutely delightful prawn spring rolls. 4 of which – plus a hefty serving of the former – got the better of me.
And let’s not even talk about the chocolate bullets. For over a decade, good chocolate bullets have been my weakness. Fortunately or unfortunately as the case may be, the past 8 or so years have been sadly bullet free. Not for want of trying, but because licorice quality in Aus seems to have gone down the cheap and nasty path. This all changed for me last week when I meandered through the DJs food hall, and in a moment of ketogenic weakness asked to sample one bullet.
Oh. My. Sweet. Goodness.
You do NOT want to know how many I bought, but let’s just say they’ve been tormenting me ever since.
So I’ll get to the point – if I have one, which I’m not entirely sure I do. I don’t really care that I’ve ’slipped up’ for the last couple days (those bullets are controlling my mind!), because I really feel that I’ve got to a place where I can almost relax about my fat loss, and just trust in the process. Today, the process begins again -
Oh – and it goes without saying that my trips to Chaddy are going to have to be few and far between. Although they do have DJs Foodhall in the city, don’t they? Hmmm …..
I realised a couple weeks back that none of my email subscribers had been receiving my posts! All that writing for nothing (well, just for me and the RSS gang, which is good enough I guess). Anyway, I thought I’d pop through some links to my favourite Body After Bump posts, as well as those that have been the most popular.
Here they are, in no particular order:
You’re a Mum: You Can’t Wear A Bikini!
Selenium, Metabolism and Thyroid
And probably the one that riled me up the most -
Enjoy!
I’ve been a bit ‘over’ this whole post-partum weight loss thing lately. Not all the time. I have moments when I feel invincible, when I glimpse my reflection in the mirror and think yeah, it’s working. But a lot of the time I have to face the reality that I’m STILL FREAKING 5 KG HEAVIER THAN I USED TO BE. AND IT’S BEEN 6 FREAKING MONTHS.
Say what you will about patience, and body changing after baby, and blah blah blah, but the long and short of it is that I don’t like it. So I got back at myself by eating a total of 6 (6!) scones over the weekend. With jam and cream. And toast for breakfast. And muesli with yogurt and sugary, syrupy berries. Logical, huh? But that’s the way my mind works. If I feel good about myself I eat well and train hard. If I feel despondent, I’m likely to eat rubbish and train half-heartedly.
So today is when I get back on track.
And now that I’ve got the whinging over and done with, here are the pluses:
Robert Kennedy On The Truth About Vaccinations
This is compelling stuff. If a little scary. Be prepared to have open your mind to the possibility that (gasp!) what we are told is right by the powers that be just might not be in ours or our children’s best interests.
Watch the clip here.
If you’ve ever doubted the wisdom behind vaccinations this will answer more than a few questions. Oh – and just so you know I’m not jumping on a bandwagon here; I’ve been seriously anti-vaccinations since day one. Another great resource is http://www.vaccination.inoz.com/.
Your thoughts?