Friday roundup...

I have been struggling with muscle aches from my fitness classes but I am persevering. Yesterday's class was held out of doors. We did 30 minutes of quite easy cardio then took our yoga mats under the shady gum trees and did leg lifts and tummy cruches with hand weights included. Wow, I can feel all those muscles today! It was so lovely, lying on the ground looking up at the sky through the trees, with an Enya CD softly playing in the background. We all go at our own pace so I didn't do some of the arm/weight exercises so my shoulder doesn't get aggravated. That is the good thing about this class - we can go at our own pace without feeling like we are failing. Sheryl is a bouncy, very energetic coach and sometimes I just march on the spot if it gets too hard and fast. But that is okay.
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Tomatoes on toast - a favourite breakfast of mine...
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Turkey, cranberry and salad lavash bread wrap - delicious!
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Fresh fruit and yoghurt...
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On the mornings that I have exercise class, I come home and have scrambled eggs on soy/linseed toast. Good protein.
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We had to go out for dinner on Wednesday night and I chose a healthy option. The King George Whiting was supposed to be battered and come with fries but I asked for it to be grilled and said no fries please! It was delicious with just the salad. I didn't even touch the tartare sauce.
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My roses are just starting to pop...
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The garden has filled in since I weeded all those weeks ago...
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Bonnie likes to walk the balance beam...
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McLeod's Daughter's rose...
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We are off on a Ruby adventure for a few days to a pretty part of Victoria so I hope to get some nice pictures to share with you.
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Enjoy your Friday wherever you may be. I am off to work then home to pack! I will need to take some healthy snacks/food with us. We will be having barbecue and salad Saturday night and Sunday we will make salad rolls so that shouldn't be too bad.
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Cheers - Joolz

Oh, my aching bones...

It is a week since I started my 7 week fitness campaign. I am aching all over!
We have a Monday session of aerobic activities for 45 minutes then we listen to a guest speaker. Last week it was a personal trainer who spoke to us about nutrition while training. Some things that I got from the talk were:
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* Fuel your body for the job it needs to do - a good breakfast with low GI foods to keep you full until mid morning (fruit, water and yoghurt that is low in fat and sugar) then protein at lunchtimes. Eat carbs at midday to see you through the day and less carbs in the evening. Drink lots and lots of water - carry it with you always.

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* Eat 6-8 smaller meals a day to keep you satisfied and less likely to binge eat.

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* If you eat early dinner with a young family and find yourself hungry again at 8pm - only eat half of the meal early then reheat/eat the remainder later when you feel hungry again, that way you are not snacking on extra food or make a healthy choice and have fruit/veg snacks.

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* Steer clear of processed foods - muesli bars (full of sugar), cheese slices in plastic (real cheese is better for you), salty snacks like savoury biscuits, dips and chips.

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Plan what you will eat - pack healthy snacks and water so you are not tempted to buy takeaway foods and soft drinks.
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* Plan ahead for what you will have for lunch and dinner for the next day. That way if you are prepared you won't be tempted to grab quick and unhealthy takeaway food.
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On Thursday, we did a session at Sheryl's house - outdoors on her paved driveway. She lives 15kms out of town in a lovely bush setting. About 15 of us skipped, hopped, jumped and shimmied our way through 45 minutes of loud, pumping music and felt so good afterwards! But OMG, how I ache now!
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Monday 24th October we had another full Zumba Gold session and I must say, after the tiring weekend I had, I did not feel like even being there. I am sure that showed on my face each time Sheryl looked my way. I was so depleted of energy that I basically marched on the spot instead of launching myself in every which way direction that she had the group going. I am so very uncoordinated and Zumba calls for total coordination! Anyway, at weigh-in I had lost 700gms which makes my total loss 1 kilogram (2.2 lbs) since my assessment.

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Food wise, I have been very good. We had pizza on Saturday night for a quick dinner before Brianna's 18th Party started but I only had 2 slices (instead of the usual 4-5) and when we had some supper, I only had one little vol au vent.
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When I start 'eating healthy' I tend to be good with eating good snacks/fruit between meals then into the second week, I do away with snacks and therefore do not eat all my required fruit/veg for the day. Yesterday, because I did the class at 9am, I only had a tub of yoghurt for breakfast. When I got home (after taking Mum to the hairdressers etc) it was nearly 11.30am so I had 2 slices of wholemeal toast and 2 scrambled eggs. This became breakfast and lunch combined because it seemed unnecessary to eat again at 12.30pm. I was busy at work and only had one cup of coffee in the afternoon then nothing until I had my homemade spaghetti bolognese (with microshaved parmesan on top) for dinner. I need to have those healthy snacks so I don't bust out when I am hungry. Do you have the same trouble?
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Really, why is it so hard to work out that this crap above is so bad for you compared...
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to this display of goodness?
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Well, this has been a long post but I hope you get something out of it. I do feel better for not eating processed food and less bread (only 2 slices a day and no white bread at all).
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Cheers - Joolz

My baby turned 18 years old!

Brianna's birthday cake...

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18 years ago we had a second bundle of joy...
~Me think someone in Taiwan can't spell...

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Brianna & Kirby. The theme for Brianna's 18th party was Bad Taste Op Shop... friends were told to go and spend about $10 on an outfit (as tacky as you like) - the charity shops did a roaring trade!
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Brianna and Maddy
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A family portrait...
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The guests (all of which were Bri's Yr 11/12 school friends) danced, yelled, sang, drank and ate until the wee hours - it was a very long, long night...
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Brianna and her cake...
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After lunch on Sunday, we were sitting out on the lawn when a bird flew over and ahem... shat on Brianna! I have always considered this to be lucky - she did not! It reminds me of a little rhyme -
Birdy, birdy flying high
dropped a message from the sky.
As I wiped it from my eye,
I said 'thank the Lord that cows don't fly!'
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It was a huge weekend but Brianna had the best time with all her school friends who were for the most part, very well behaved. I have vowed never to throw another party at our house, however, for my health and sanity.

Cheers - Joolz

A pretty walk around town...

(sunrise 6.10am)
Hello peeps! Sorry I have been missing in action since last week. Wow, where do I begin. After my sister's 60th lunch, on Thursday Bri and I headed to the city to see Kirby. We got home Saturday. Sunday was spent cleaning out the shed and garage in readiness for Bri's 18th party this coming weekend.
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Monday I started my 7 week 'Spruce up for life' fitness program. After 45 minutes of aerobics I was red in the face and out of breath. Best thing was - so was everyone else! I think this is going to be fun.
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On Tuesday, I attended my uncle's funeral which was a sad time but it was good to catch up with cousins and family that we don't see a lot of.
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On Tuesday night I attended a meeting to form a SA Weight Watchers Assoc. group in our town. A committee was formed and the meetings should commence in a few weeks time. It is mainly a support group where you can come and be weighed each week, share tip and hints and recipes and support each other in living a healthier life. I am on the committee and am really excited to get it all going!
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These photos were taken last Thursday morning on my 45 minute walk around town.
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Our main street (shopping precinct)
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I walk through the street then along the main road that leads through town...
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Bottle brushes (Callistemon) ...
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Unsure what these are but they grown well here (I have since found out that this is an Echium (thank you, Ali at Quiltingorchardist)...
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Okay, now I have turned the corner and head up this road - the council have provided us with a nice smooth walking path...
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Prunis blossoms...
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This is a Guelder Rose (so I found out when reading Little Jenny Wren's latest blog) ...
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Arum lily...
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These pretty flowers are in the Old Folks Home garden...
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More pretty blooms...
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Just keep walking, just keep walking...
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Now we have come full circle (or square) since the first picture at the top...
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More smooth footpath...
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These natives (Grevilleas, I think) are in the bowling green garden...
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More of those spikey purple flower heads (Echium) ...
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Past our pristine parklands - our council does a lovely job of maintaining our civic area...
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Even the local pub has pretty flowers planted in beds...
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So pretty, I may have snapped of a piece to plant at home...
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Past our Cross of Sacrifice...
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Then back home for porridge and fresh squeezed orange juice.
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Dinner last night was Annette Sym's Macaroni Beef - yummo!
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Cheers - Joolz