bfl

Fallen

Well, I’ve been going quite good lately! I’ve been able to up my weights at the gym, add a 5 min cardio blast to the end of the workout and even got to running for 1min, walk for 2 and repeat for 20min. Finally, I have been feeling good!

But I have fallen over the last 2 days. Had some things going on here at home and I have just forgotten to eat! Some might find that hard to imagine but if I drink enough water/tea/coffee I just don’t feel hungry. I ate a good breakfast yesterday and then did weights…and then I’ve eaten very little since then until tonight when I had an omelet on toast with feta cheese. Hmmm, not good Susan! Not what my MassAttack plan says at all!

After tea, I headed outside to get on the treadmill and do my cardio. I haven’t felt energetic all day so I’ve put it off…better get on to it now, I thought. Alas! I could only manage a few minutes before feeling very faint, like I was going to collapse.

So I’ve learned one very valuable lesson. Yes, I’m getting fitter but it’s not just due to the working out – a lot of it has to do with the nutritional food I’m eating. Take that out of the equation and I’m still not doing real good.

Again, I’m reminded of what Bill Phillips says,

“When you eat the right foods, in the right amounts, in the right combos, at the right times, you simply cannot go wrong!”

So tomorrow it’s back to eating properly, which starts with actually eating! Doh!

Crunch Time

Regular readers will know that I like the Body for Life program by Bill Phillips, as well as Burn the Fat by Tom Venuto. I think they’re great ways for homeschool mums to get fit, healthy and strong…in a minimum of time. As busy homeschool mums and wives, how can we afford countless hours at the gym each week? I also love to read inspiration books and magazines of those who do live a healthy and fit lifestyle. So, as soon as I saw Crunch Time by Personal Trainer, Michelle Bridges, on the store shelf I grabbed it!

Softcover, 204 pages and it is divided into 4 sections.

Part One is titled Get Real! It’s all about why we do what we do…looking at the excuses we make, the habits we have allowed to form and how we change those beliefs and attitudes by developing a plan. Michelle wants us to know that we can in fact lose weight fast and keep it off. She says,

“show me someone who has put the weight back on because they lost it too quickly and I’ll show you five people who put the weight back on because they lost it too slowly!”

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Section Two, titled Get Moving! is where Michelle is photographed doing all the weight loss exercises. Yet for some reason, seeing this thin, well toned woman exercising doesn’t make me mad- rather it inspires me! She talks about body types, body shapes and all the different forms and types of exercise. She also talks about debunking the myths, like “walking is a great way to lose weight and get fit” or another one, “you shouldn’t train with weights everday” and yet another myth in, ” pilates, yoga and stretch classes are great for weight loss” and my favourite, “women get big if they train with weights“. In this section, she also gives a 12 week, Get Moving exercise plan.

“Okay, you’re passionately committed to becoming a leaner, fitter you…Now you are going to exercise. That’s right. You will be an exerciser forever. Not just until you fit into that dress…or until you look great so you can dump your boyfriend while looking hot. No. You are an exerciser. Period.”

The next section is called Get Cooking! and here she outlines what should be in the fridge and pantry and what you should throw out. She goes into the nutrition of it all, which should interest many homeschoolers.She also includes a sample eating plan and her favourite, healthy recipes and tips for eating out.

A theory behind this book is one that I’ve agreed with for years…the key is not so much how quickly or slowly you lose the weight…Rather, the key is whether or not you change your lifestyle habits of eating and exercising. Once one hits their goal weight, if they stop exercising or revert to old eating habits then the kilograms will go back on! It has to be a healthy lifestyle change- not a diet. Because of this she advises that we try to lose the weight fairly quickly with your new lifestyle and then you can get on with living your new lifestyle- the new you!

The last part of the book is about Staying on Track where she gives you a journal and a progress chart.

Why do I like this book? Michelle doesn’t muck around. Just like on the Biggest Loser show, she calls it like it is. She takes away any and all excuses. It is written in a very conversational style…which not all will like but the book is real. It is just as if i were talking with Michelle, in the flesh.

Walking is a waste of time for weight loss unless you either start negotiating some serious hills or you pump up the speed to around 6-8km per hour.

This book is great for me as I’m trying to lose weight and tone/strengthen up. It’s also great for Miss A, who is studying to her Cert 3 in fitness. For her, this book is a ‘living book‘- written by a specialist in her field, in a truly engaging and living way…although I’m not quite sure Charlotte Mason would agree lol. (To be fair, the writing style isn’t rich in literary quality)

Oh, just realised that some may not know what I’m referring to when I mention quick weight loss. No, I do not mean any diet scams, berries, teas, gimmicks, fasting or anything else. I simply mean: calories in, calories out.

Calories in – calories out = calorie surplus or calorie deficit…along with ‘the higher your heart rate, the more calories you smash up‘. Michelle gives an indication of what people may expect to lose:

If you are less than 100kg you can expect to lose between 0.5 – 1.5kg per week
If you are between 100 – 129kg you can expect to lose between 1.5kg – 3kg per week
If you are more than 130kg you can expect to lose between 1.5 – 5kg per week.

If you need to get serious about health and fitness…if you need to become a healthy and positive role model for your children, if you want to lose weight and maintain it, then you need to rush out and beg, borrow or steal (just kidding) Crunch Time. Want to read more…head over to the author’s website and read on… where you’ll find a brief synopsis of the book, author info and downloadable tools. But wait! There’s more…head over to the book publishers website to see even more excerpts from the book!

Exercising my Options

OPTION: noun
1) The power of choosing; the right of choice or election.
2) The power of wishing.
3) Choice; election; preference.

Exercising my options…if only that it what I had been doing… really. We all make choices in life. We all live with the consequences of those choices. It’s a principle that I try to teach my children and I thought I lived by.

Wrong! Or rather it’s true…but only with some things. Not with the hard things.

I have two boys at home. Master J is currently 14 and Master C is 11yo, nearly 12. I tell you, it’s tough being a homeschool mum to these two rambunctious fellows. And I thought it was tough with girls…but this is stretching me in other ways- previously untouched by homeschooling the girls. Doing the hard things, going the extra mile, giving a little bit more, perseverance, diligence…these are all traits that all people do well to practice but the way I need to teach it to my girls is quite different to the way I teach it to the boys. Homeschooling is like getting a mirror and holding it up to see myself. I see all the bumps, cracks and crevices, the warts, the pimples, laughter lines and worry lines. I don’t believe any parent can embrace the homeschooling lifestyle and remain untouched or unchallenged!

I love my cup of tea in the morning. It isn’t an option for me. It is what I do. Always. I have 2 cups of tea and then a milk coffee. It has been non negotiable. I didn’t even really think about it…just did it.

I love my daily computer time. It isn’t an option. It’s just what I do. It’s non negotiable…I just do it.

There are some things in life that I do which are not healthy…the fruits of which are not strength, life, joy, peace. So why do I do them? Why have I made them non negotiable?

I don’t like exercise. I don’t like to sweat. I do not like to drink water. These were all options. I could exercise but I choose not to. I can drink water but I prefer not to. Why? Where will these choices or options get me? Why or when did I make exercise an option, that I could choose to do or choose not to? Why was it not a priority for me?

It was easy for me, as a homeschooler, to let go of my athletic nature. Many years ago, I attended a beautiful homeschool fellowship evening, where mums shared and encouraged each other. It was lovely. The leader of the group was quite academic with a strong focus on literature, the humanities and the arts. Nothing wrong with that though. She stated that she considered it more important for a child to be able to recite poetry than to compete in a sport or be athletic. Ackkkk! Our family was the complete opposite- driven by our sport and fuelled by our love of exercise, this comment stuck with me. I’m embarrassed to admit that it stayed with me and I allowed it to shape my own view for many years. Sadly, I allowed an imbalance to take place in our family and in my own life. And I was reaping the fruit of it- bitter, sharp and biting in the form of thrombophlebitis.

I would make excuses like, I don’t have time. I have to teach 4 children, prepare meals, do laundry, etc but the truth is we all have 1,440 minutes in a day. We choose how to spend that time. My sons were a mirror that allowed me to see what I had become and what modelling for them. And I was not pleased with my reflection! I saw a woman who did not like to do hard things…who preferred to take tasks or activities that I knew would be natural or easy for me. I showed no guts, no determination and very little perseverance. How can I teach these growing young men these traits when my life modelled the exact opposite? Ugh what a reality check!

Was I lazy? No, I wouldn’t say that. I simply didn’t understand how it is possible to find the time to build a healthy and strong body. I wasn’t looking ahead to see where my inactivity would lead me. Thrombophlebitis put a little bit of healthy fear in me. When I look at it I only need about 4 hours per week to build a healthy body! How hard is that? Well, in reality it is a little more than 4 hours simply because I need lots of time to focus. Focusing and researching assists me in making something a priority– whether it be homeschooling, website building, gardening, writing, softball, nutrition or fitness. However, 4 hours would be a better start than no hours at all! Hmm, where would I find those 4 hours? Less TV, less computer, less coffee drinking…the list goes on.

First, I had to make the quest (my Fit n 40 quest) a priority. This means that exercise is now not an option! it’s non negotiable. It’s not an option now. It’s just something that I do. Only this non-option is actually good for me! Do I feel like sitting down to check my emails this morning or do I feel like working out? I DON”T FEEL LIKE WORKING OUT! Not one bit! But, I do want the benefit of it. So, I have a plan, which helps me not to get too bogged down with indecision or procrastination, which will invariably lead to me doing nothing. (Remember the 6 P’s: Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Poor Performance)

Make the decision.
Prioritise and make exercise non negotiable.
Plan my exercise and nutrition to avoid procrastination.

This is only week 4 for me…so I hope I don’t sound like I’m preachy. I’m not. But I am excited about the changes that I’ve seen happen in my own body and life…and in the life of my children! Whoohoo, talk about positive! we are all learning more about self control, self discipline, dying to the flesh and more! I also realised that this concept of options and choices can relate to any area of our life. We all make choices. We all have things which are optional and non option in our daily lives.

What are some of your non optional activities? Why do you have them and how do they work for you? I’d love to hear more.

My Epiphany on Non Negotiables

I am buzzing!

Monday morning I was feeling down after jumping on the scales. I know I don’t like the scales and I don’t even do a weigh in on Monday so why did I even jump on them? That was dumb. Since then, I’ve had an epiphany of sorts, sparked by online conversations with a friend. I enable myself to fail. I allow myself to treat me badly. For some reason, I accept that this way is okay.

Even working out I have been way too soft on myself. If I do what I’ve always done, then I’ll get what I’ve always got. Exercising half heartedly is not going to get me where I want to be, is it?

Too often I make excuses for myself- in the physical and the emotional, which crosses over to real life:

Oh, I can’t coach softball this year
I’m a homeschool mum with a prodigal child- it is too much stress!
I never ‘came back’ from the knee reconstruction so I have to be careful.
I had an altering surgery 10 years ago which totally affected me…therefore I can’t exercise???
I don’t like to sweat
I don’t like to drink water
I don’t like to get puffed

Well, frankly there must be a pay-off for me somewhere. Somewhere, somehow, I must like the way I am. If I didn’t I would do something about it! What is my payoff?

I allow myself to make and live in excuses to win.

I changed that this week. When? Well, I weighed in on Monday and got real grumpy. REAL grumpy. But I decided that I can choose to be a victim or not. I can choose to allow scales or tape measures or clothes dictate how I should feel…or not! I decided to hit the bike, HARD. It felt good. Tuesday I had the funeral and it was a hard day in many ways….I got up yesterday morning and decided to hit the treadmill HARD. Nothing soft. I did. I pushed. I was pooped. But afterward I was pumped. I actually pushed myself. Wahoo! Then yesterday afternoon, I did my Lower Body Workout and pushed it. Whoohoo! I was just pumped.

Good news? Yeah I’ve got that too. We’ve decided as a family (minus one) to enter the City to Bay run! I have been trying to encourage my son’s (Master J) fitness for 12 months…but all he’s interested in is looking buff and muscly. But he just doesn’t seem to listen when I talk about cardio fitness. Well, he went to Cadets on Tuesday night and he has volunteered to run in the Fun Run for charity!!! (He’s funny like that- he wants to experience as much as he can so he tends to volunteer for anything and everything) So, we had the most educational day yesterday, talking and planning and learning AND doing. He is now committed to it. This makes me happy because I know how beneficial training of any kind can be. I believe in the power of sport and training. I don’t like much of what I see in sports today but I’m not about to throw it all out. I know that training for softball has been THE best life coach and trainer for both Miss A and myself. Now Master C wants to do the walk so it looks like John, myself, Miss A, Master J and Master C will all be doing it, God willing.

We’ve talked about goal setting and mini goals and one step at a time, etc and planning and all those things. I don’t know what has happened but I feel as though a switch has been turned on, in me.

For some reason now I am not hoping that I will achieve success in this area. I know I will. But it won’t happen just by my wishing it. I have to make it work. Which means getting up off my butt and working it. It isn’t easy. It won’t be easy but do I want it?

High Intensity Interval Training for Homeschool Mums

If you have read any of my Fitn40 posts you would have seen the acronym HIIT. You may have wondered what on earth it is all about. Quite simply, it is short for High Intensity Interval Training– a method of working out. You can see my initial thoughts on it in a previous post.

What is it?
HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training is a form of cardio that involves intervals of varying intensities, with some of those intensities quite high. A typical HIIT session will involve some bursts of “give-it-all-I’ve-got” training followed by periods of lower intensity that allow for active recovery (this means my body can recover somewhat even though I haven’t completely stopped exercising).

Where can I do it?
Anywhere! I can use a machine as in a treadmill, bike, rower, elliptical trainer or other such things or you can do it while walking around the oval, swimming or jogging. I usually use the exercise bike or the treadmill.

When can I/should I do it?
Anytime is a good time! However, some enthusiasts like to do their HIIT workout before breakfast. I can see how beneficial this might be but it’s usually not viable for me at this time. My daughter loves to do a hard HIIT workout after tea. She says she sleeps like a baby that night.

Why should I do it?

The advantages of HIIT training are that I burn more calories in a shorter period of time.
It trains my cardiovascular system to work under a heavier stress load. Strengthening my heart is a good thing!
HIIT boosts my metabolism for up to 18 hours after the session. Whoohoo! This has to be good! So I can lose weight/burn fat while I sit at the computer.
The disadvantage of HIIT is that it is high intensity and therefore requires time to recover. I (along with most other people) can only manage a few (three or four) HIIT sessions per week. HIIT is not beneficial for everyone- especially for those who are on a very restricted calorie intake, which I’m not. It depends upon your needs.
It doesn’t take me too long. I can’t stand the thought of working out for hours (boring!) nor am a delighted at the prospect of training to get fit only to spend hours more time working out. HIIT gives me a solid cardio workout in a short amount of time. In a word: Efficiency.
I’m able to customise my cardio workout to suit my needs. It can be adapted to suit any fitness level according to the individual’s needs and goals. (Um, why wouldn’t a homeschooler go in for that philosophy? 😉 )
It’s about working smarter- not longer.
To be a good role model for my children. This not only encourages them to be fit and healthy but also encourages me and my family members to push through – to not give up.

How do I do it?
The HIIT method that I use is detailed in Body for Life by Bill Phillips. It involves a few minutes of warm-up, followed by intervals that last a minute. For example, on the treadmill or bike I might do a minute at 5 miles per hour (mph), then a minute at 6mph, a minute at 7mph, a minute at 8mph, then you drop back down to 5mph and repeat.

Body for Life has some information on it, including a handy chart.

Choose a form of aerobic exercise – walking or running on a treadmill or elliptical machine or biking inside or outside. On a scale of 1 -10, 1 being the easiest and 10 the hardest, start exercising at a level 5 intensity (Your level 5 will be different to my level 5).

1. Minute 1 – warm up at Intensity Level 5
2. Minute 2 -3 – move from Intensity Level 5 to 6
3. Minute 3 – Level 7
4. Minute 4 – Level 8
5. Minute 5 – Level 9 – Give It Everything Minute
6. Minute 6 – Back to Level 6
7. Minute 7 – Level 7
8. Minute 8 – Level 8
9. Minute 9- Level 9 – Give It Everything Minute
10. Minute 10 – Level 6
11. Minute 11 – Level 7
12. Minute 12 – Level 8
13. Minute 13 – Level 9 – Give It Everything Minute
14. Minute 14 – Level 6
15. Minute 15 – Level 7
16. Minute 16 – Level 8
17. Minute 17 – Level 9 – Give It Everything Minute
18. Minute 18 – Level 10 – C’mon, Give me Just One More Minute
19. Minute 19 – Back to Level 5 – Cool down
20. Walk gently while stretching out.

Alternate weight-training and cardio workouts for six consecutive days and rest on the seventh day.

I have a printout which is pinned to the wall, right above the tready and bike- so I can easily keep track of where I need to be. You can download it here, (pdf) from my download section.

Fitn40 weekly record

Exercise record from Tuesday 28th until Sunday 3rd April

Tues 28th

EXERCISE:
10 min HIIT on bike
10 HIIT treadmill
*HIIT= High Intensity Interval Training
20 x Tricep curls
20 x Bicep thingys
Abs:
Back-friendly crunches 3 styles @ 20 each
Flexibility:
Stretching routine
Notes
Good day- felt great.

Wednesday 29th

EXERCISE:
5 min warmup on bike
5min warmup on treadmill
Lower body
Steps up 10@ each leg
15x Body weight Squats
15x Medball Squats
5 raised lunges
Abs:
20x Reverse crunches
10x leg extensions
Flexibility:
Stretching routine
Notes
Actually felt like doing something first thing this morning!

Thursday 30th
EXERCISE:
5 min warmup on bike
5min warmup on treadmill
Lower body

Abs: Abi put me through some paces

Flexibility:
Stretching routine

Friday
EXERCISE:
5 min warmup on bike
5min warmup on treadmill
Lower body

Flexibility:
Stretching routine

Fit and 40- yes!

My Mini Goal is to lose 4.5kg. I just get overwhelmed if I don’t set mini goals so that’s my starting point. However, the real goal is to get fit and be strong…to have strong muscles and bones and be able to keep up with my children and be a good role model.

The key for me is not food…it is exercise. There is a lot of food that my body cannot tolerate so my food choices are fairly limited. I tend to eat the things I can freely eat- I can’t help it if it is cheese, milk and chocolate! Yes, I’m laughing but I’m also serious. I can’t deny myself any more food as I don’t eat that much (people who know me IRL will know what I mean) but I need to move. I can feel my joints stiffening up – ankle pain, knee pain, back pain, hip pain, etc. I know a lot of it is from overuse as an ex softball player (softball pitchers use knees and hips a lot) but if those joints and muscles were more mobile, I wouldn’t be in half as much trouble. I suffer from very low B12 levels and am severely iron deficient so good, healthy, real food is important to me. I need to eat more real food. I don’t eat enough of the good stuff. However calorie restriction is not my issue so I won’t focus on it.

After recently suffering a bout of thrombophlebitis, I really need to get moving and get strong again. I want to be be a fit and 40year old mama! I had always been fit, even when I was overweight. I’ve been fit through pregnancies, miscarriages, ankle surgery and casts, etc. But 5 years ago I did my knee in and had a total knee reconstruction and I’ve never gotten on top of things since then. It has taken me 5 years to get to this ridiculously low point but I am tired of being unfit. For goodness sake, I am a level 2 softball coach, an ex player- someone who liked to be fit and strong…where has that part of me gone? A homeschool mum needs all the energy she can get- I can’t afford to be unfit.

About 18 months ago I was ready and raring to go – to do something about it. Then, we moved. It took me awhile to get back into the swing of things. Then one year ago I was ready and raring to go again. Nothing happened…for me. Some fellow homeschool friends lost weight but I just kept making excuses for myself. Well, I’m ready to try again. Slow but steady steps…

With exercise I usually fall into the trap of *if a little is good, then a lot must be better* but the problem is I can’t stick to it. Miss A is studying her Cert 3 in Fitness and she is helping me- rather supervising/regulating me so I don’t crash and burn.

Thing is, I want a guarantee! I want to know that if I apply myself to this that I will reap the rewards (feeling better) but with my body type and the [health] condition that I live with I have doubts. Of course my dear husband and daughter say pish posh to that and that I’m trying to excuse myself. 😉

Maybe it’s part of different season’s in one’s life but I’m feeling like a bear who has just woken up from hibernation- it’s time to groggily start moving and greet the world again! 😉

I have used every excuse known to man. I used to say I couldn’t exercise regularly as the children were little and I couldn’t afford to be away from them too much (let’s just totally leave out how they’d entertain themselves if I was on the computer) but aside from that, my children are now older and I can have lots of time to myself if I need it.

I have to want it enough. I have the equipment to exercise rain, hail or shine. It is my self discipline- the mental determination to just do it and stick with it. I do feel that if I can stick with it for awhile I WILL feel some results and I know that will spur me on- it’s the initial kick-start I need.

What is my plan of attack?
A combination of fitness routines. I simply can’t follow just one. Most plans/books/methods I’ve researched have valid points and are very good but for various reasons they just don’t fit my lifestyle. But I have enough knowledge on the topic to make it work for me- with tweaking and tailoring to suit. I like Body for Life by Bill Phillips, Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto, Crunch Time by Michelle Bridges but being a softball coach I also have knowledge in the area so will apply that.

I’m in such a bad way that I’m aiming for 20min 4 times a week to start with. Yes, it’s pathetic but it’s where I need to start. Why am I writing here on my blog for all to see? Why not? I know I’m not the only homeschool mum who struggles in this area…so if I can encourage others in any small way then it’s worth blogging about. So, I’ll post in the Health & Fitness category of my blog.

Is Body for Life Suitable for Homeschool Mums?

The other day I received an email from a fellow Aussie homeschooler questioning why I seemed to advertise books by Bill Phillips (Body for Life) and Tom Venuto (Burn the Fat). You can see the page in question here. I thought that maybe other’s might have thought the same, so here is my response.

Hi,

Thanks for your email. I’m not quite sure what you mean about not expecting to read about exercise/fitness on my site. Firstly, I’m not advertising them. I don’t receive any commission or any profit whatsoever from my sites or writings. I write about things that have helped me in my walk [as a believer in Christ, a woman and a homeschooler].

Have you read BFL or Tom’s Burn the Fat book? If so, what did you think of them? [If any reader’s have read the books and/or used the programs, feel free to leave a comment].

Over the years I have struggled with my weight and have tried virtually every diet and exercise program known to man. I know of them all- but applying them by doing them is another story. However, I am learning more and more about it all. I am learning how important resistance training is for women. Oh I know that most homeschool mums want to learn about nutrition but sadly, the physical side of health is often neglected in homeschool circles.

Homeschooling is a marathon, not a sprint. Homeschooling long term requires endurance both physical and emotional. Nutrition, strength and fitness are essential for endurance. I don’t believe that [only] cardio is enough to develop and maintain good health and fitness.

Then, I read Body for Life which taught me about resistance training and how beneficial it is for weight loss but also for health. I also read Tom Venuto’s book. These are the best books on the subject, IMO. They provide balanced information.

I used to be an athlete (many years ago) but since getting married, I let my fitness go. My daughter is an athlete and being in good physical shape is important to her sport. While my other children have not chosen to pursue a career or an interest in sports I still think it is vitally important to be strong and healthy and fit, especially for males. So, I want to set a good example- by living it! I can’t expect my sons to pursue health, fitness and strength if I’m not prepared to be an example!

We need a healthy measure of good nutrition, cardio exercise and strength training. Building strong bones and muscles is important in the prevention of osteoporosis. It is also a key to losing weight! Jeannie Fulbright’s messages are the BFL program in a nutshell…and she is a Christian as well. But I don’t believe that we can’t learn things from people just because they aren’t professing believers. Just like anything else found on the Internet, there are extreme’s…but I?m not one to throw the baby out with the bath water. I tend to take the meat and spit out the bones! 🙂

While I do take care with providing links from my site I do have a disclaimer as well. However, after research I know of no reason why I shouldn’t mention these fellows’ work.

After much trial and error and finding the long way round things, I thought I’d share what I have found to be the best ways to health and fitness.

I hope this answers any questions. If not, feel free to ask me to clarify further. 🙂

In His Grace,