Exercise

After 41 years, I'm finally discovering that daily exercise really makes a difference to me - not just in my fitness amd weight level, but in my overall mood and motivation.  Who knew?! :)

Since I got back from holidays (ie 12 days ago), I've exercised at least 20 minutes each day - most days over 30, a couple of days up to 45 mins.  I'm mixing it up, some days on the Wii Fit, some days I go for a walk / run, tomorrow I'll have Defendo class (eeeek!).  Today I was feeling really tired and slothful, so mid-afternoon I forced myself to do a couple of 10 min workouts I found on YouTube.  And funnily enough, I got a modicum of energy back.

I'm finding doing my workout first thing in the morning works best for me - then its done and I don't have to worry about it anymore. It also boosts me for the day - making me eat better and have more energy and focus. 

This is all very strange for me - I've never been a sports person, or an exercise person.  Last year when I lost 7 kgs over 6 months was the longest I'd ever consistently exercised and that was generally 3 or 4 times a week.  Daily is something else again!

One thing I've never been able to do is run - even as a kid I avoided it at all costs.  (Especially the cross-country runs the nasty PE teacher used to make us do for sport!)  As an adult - well, its quite easy to avoid running if you don't play sport!  So it was quite a shock to the system when I started Defendo and our warm-ups often involve running.  Not fair!!

Towards the end of last year, I started toying with running.  I'd go out on my walks and would try to run from one driveway to the next a few times (we live in an estate with wide front yards!).  I really had no idea what I was doing or any plan to measure if I was improving.  I made a goal this year to improve my aerobic fitness - one way is by running.  Last week at the library, my attention was snagged by a book called The Complete Idiots Guide to Running.  Yep, that sounded like me.

One of the things I was excited to see (yeah, I couldn't believe it either!) was a schedule for building up from running 0 minutes to running 30 minutes in nice incremental babysteps.  You can find it here if you're interested.  You just had to be able to walk for 30 minutes to start - easy, peasy, I could do that.

So far, I'm up to Workout 3 of Week 1.  Yesterday, as per workout 3, I walked for 10 minutes, then for the next 15 minutes, I alternately ran for 2 minutes and walked 1 minute, then finished off by walking for 5 minutes.  Now, I'm sure those of you who can run are sniggering, but it was a big step for me.  That meant I ran 10 minutes (non-consecutively, but still!)  I plan to repeat that workout again next time I go out for a walk.  (Because while I did it, I really struggled through the end).

I'm sure that it will take me far longer than the 4 weeks they've scheduled, but slow and steady will do me fine.  I hope to be able to run for 30 minutes by the end of the year. 

Any tips gratefully received :)

Oh and I've lost 2kg since I came back from holidays.  I think that was the 2kg I found over Xmas!

Timbertown

While on holidays, we visited Timbertown at nearby Wauchope.  Timbertown is a recreated timber village from the 1890s, with steam-powered timber mill, horse and cart and bullock team.

We watched a very informative and entertaining demonstration with the bullock team.

And even got to pose with one of the stars of the 'show', Captain (the bullock, not the driver!).

Billy took part in a whip-cracking lesson

We checked out their 'facilities' (for the non-Aussies, a 'dunny' is a toilet - in this case a 3 hole drop toilet).

Saw how differently life would have been lived.

Watched the blacksmith at work.

Took a steam train ride where we were subjected to a 'stick-up' (and other really bad puns!)

And wondered whether some punishments should be brought back into use :)

Back from holidays

Once again, we spent two weeks up the coast with family at Stuarts Pt for our Xmas holidays. For a change, the weather was wonderful - sunny most days with only one half-day of rain.

New Years Eve was celebrated at 9pm by the kids (and that was as far as I made as well!) with sparklers and glow-sticks.

Slip-n-slide mayhem...

Swimming

Fishing

And some down time with the computer..

Billy also went waterskiing with his aunt, uncle and cousins, but I don't have photos of that.  This year he managed to stand up (and stay up) on the toboggan and had some massive stacks on the biscuit.

I did lots of writing (10,000 words - huge for me!), lots of reading, spent time gazing at the sky and relaxing, and took some walks on the beach - by myself.  Bliss! 
(That counteracts the usual cooking, laundry and grocery shopping that still had to be done!)