Finding my mojo

Thanks for the support on my last post - I wasn't all that down about it, more frustrated, but it was good to hear your lovely comments.  Especially those who said I inspired them - I'm honoured :)  (And no, I wasn't really denying myself chocolate - I'm not actually that much of a chocolate person.  Chips / crisps on the other hand - they're my downfall!!)

It did make me look at what I did achieve in a more positive light though. In that time (since mid-Jan), I've:

• added ~36,000 words to my WIP (work in progress), and
• exercised ~55 hrs

That's not bad at all :)  I do forget to stop and celebrate what I've achieved.

We had our writer's meeting today and yes, I did have to wear the 'hat of shame' :)   I was the only one this time - so well done to everyone else for meeting their goals!

I've set my goals for the next 2 months.  I'm aiming for approx 80,000 words in my novel, and am currently up to 47,500.  I'm going to aim to get it finished (as a first draft) by 21st July.  I really, really want to say I've completed it! 

I've drawn up a schedule - to add another 30,000 words, it's 500 words per day with a couple of days free where I know I have a full day out.  It's doable, but I need to focus and make the time.  And not leave it until the last thing in the day when I'm tired and it's all too hard.

Now to get motivated on the exercise again too!

111 and out

Anyone who is a cricket fan can tell you that 111 is an unlucky score.  (Just a disclaimer, I'm not a cricket fan - I am just married to one so knowledge comes to me by osmosis!)

Well, it proved unlucky to me.  111 days in a row of exercising AND writing.  Then came the weekend.  I didn't exercise at such - I soothed my guilt by saying that I was hard at work at the camp and walking lots etc etc.  I'm good at justifying...  I may have let myself get away with it too, except I didn't write either.  I tried the 'but I thought about the plot' justification, but I was feeling harsh and wouldn't let myself off the hook.

So the streak has been broken.

Unfortunately, since then I've found it hard to start again.  The streak is broken.  I don't have to prove anything.  I can take a couple of days off.  I deserve a break - just like I deserved that chocolate I just ate! (See, told you I was good at justifying..)

I need kickstarting again.

The fact that I have 10 days left before my next writer's meeting and 7,906 words to write in that time to meet my goal isn't even enough to work yet.  I can see me wearing the hat of shame at the next meeting...

Butt-kicking welcome :)

Quick 'me' update

I'll do a more in-depth homeschooling one soon (hopefully over the weekend) but just a quick one about me.  Since it *is* my blog and all :)

February was a very busy month - I had commitments with RWA, I was doing an online writing course that was very full-on, homeschooling and cub activities, defendo, work, family stuff (oh and hubby was away for a week and a bit during that time).

So I am particularly proud of myself that my 'progress' calendar looks like this -

Each day I put a sticker on the square if I write on my work-in-progress (it can be as little as 100 words, but I have to make genuine forward progress), and I write the exercise that I've done in the top of the square.  Look closely - every single day has been marked off!!  That now makes about 45 consecutive days that I have written and exercised!  (I have some cute 'teacher reward' stickers that I bought somewhere, so it gives me a lift to give myself a 'Great Work' or 'Super' sticker lol).

It's really working for me - if I feel like skipping a day, I think of how sad that empty spot will look and dig deep to find the energy to do it!  Even if it is 11pm!

My exercise has ranged from walking, running (I'm still making slow progress on my running goal), trampoline (I bought myself a mini-tramp or rebounder), defendo, yoga, pushups (I've started the Hundred Pushups Training challenge) or light weights work, wii fit, pilates and cardio workouts on YouTube.  Most are 20-30 minutes, up to 1.5 hrs for my defendo class.

I just wanted to share one of the lovely spots I walk on the days I drop Billy at drama - there are ducks and swans in this wetlands and its so nice to walk past!

My writing is also going well - I'm up to 27,000 words on my work-in-progress.  Unfortunately I couldn't keep up the pace in the online writing course I was doing, and got a bit left behind - I still have the lecture notes to read through though, so I'll still get value out of it.

I was just about to hit post when a fellow Defendo person posted a photo on Facebook of a seminar I went to on Wednesday night - on knife, gun, stick and hand defence with expert Hock Hochheim.  Hopefully I'll never need to use the knowledge, but it was very interesting.

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!

Daily walk

One of my goals for the year was to incorporate more exercise into my life.  I had a bit of an epiphany the other night realising that there was absolutely nothing stopping me from going for a walk each morning first thing (other than my own laziness).  Billy's now old enough to either come with me or stay home, even if Pete is still asleep!  I guess I'm still getting used to Pete working from home - even though it has been almost 12 months!!

So day 5 of exercising every morning.  I've walked 4 mornings for 20 minutes and did 20 mins of Yoga one day to give my shins a rest. 

Billy has opted to come with me for 3 of those 4 walks which has been good.  I can't walk quite as fast with him in tow, but its good accountability :)  And we get to see & hear lots of cool stuff - like the spider webs we noticed everywhere this morning because of the fog.

6 week exercise plan - wk 2

I had to push myself to get it done this week, but I did it! It's been a hot week and I was feeling a bit hormonal, so I had to really make an effort.

Monday - rest day
Tuesday - 20 min walk (in the 30+ C temps!)
Wednesday - rest day
Thursday - '10 years thinner' exercises - for the first time I did all the reps of all exercises except the pushups - I can't get more than 15 done!
- Also did the 20 min yoga workout that night (did the Gentle Hatha workout)
Friday - 30 min slow walk
Saturday - '10 years thinner' exercises
Sunday - rest day

6 week exercise plan - wk 1

At the end of week 1, I can give myself a big tick.

Monday - 20 min yoga workout (did the Gentle Hatha workout)
Tuesday - 20 min walk (in the blustery winds!)
Wednesday - 20 min walk (again in the blustery winds!)
Thursday - '10 years thinner' exercises
Friday - rest day
Saturday - '10 years thinner' exercises
Sunday - rest day

Feeling quite proud of myself!

6 week exercise plan

One of the local gyms is offering a 6 week trial for $90 atm. I seriously considered doing it, but when I started to look at the logistics of getting there 3 days / week (which they recommend), it all seemed too hard. I'd have to fit it in between DH getting home from work at 5pm and the gym closing at 7pm, and then juggle the time between DH's squash commitments (twice a week) and Billy's "after-school" activities (3 days a week). It was stressing me out just thinking about it!

So I've decided to implement one at home - the child care is easy (and free), and I just need to walk into my bedroom, not drive for 20 mins each way!

You, my lovely readers, will be my accountability buddies.

The 6 week part of it appeals to me - it has a definite end that I can look forward to. I'm aiming for 20 mins exercise, 5 days a week. I'll mix it up - I'm planning on walking for 20 mins on 2 days, doing a 20 min yoga workout 1 day (these downloads are fantastic), and these '10 years thinner' exercises on 2 days.

That's the aim anyway - I may not reach it every week, but as long as I do some exercise, I won't be failing.

I started yesterday with a 40 min walk. Probably not a great idea when I haven't walked in weeks - ouch! Then this morning I attempted the '10 years thinner' exercises. I say attempted - I did half the recommended no of reps for each exercise, without the hand-weights - and my muscles still feel like jelly! I guess I have a way to go :)

Wish me luck!