Pole Dancing- What it's really like!

So on Monday night girls, I tried my first ever class of pole dancing... I was so nervous going into the class, what I thought was going to be 5 girls in my class ended up being 14! You have to wear short shorts and a singlet, bare feet are preferred and let me tell you, I was glad I had some fake tan on, it was like my armour. Ever since losing some weight it has been a real long time (apart from Thailand) since anyone say that much of my bare legs. I noticed that most of the girls doing the class were a few years younger than me and all were quite skinny yet I was not going to let this get to me, when I looked in the big mirrors I realised I am actually probably not that much bigger than them! Yay!

Let me say that I am not the most coordinated person around and definitely not the strongest so doing this for me was always going to be a massive challenge, I thought "yeh right, like you will ever get me to fling myself around the pole, or hang upside down, good luck with that" but me, trying to be the new me, thought I would give it a go. 
We did a nice long warm up which I must admit we all struggled with even that. Then came the body rolls, jesus christ my legs! I am not really a fan of lunges so the non stop bending killed me and actually still hurts me now... oww.... Even though it hurt like hell, it was really fun, we all were really uncoordinated which was a big relief to know we all struggled. After the body rolls we then learnt how to move around the poll (on the ground) doing bends and twirls which took coordination and skill, but even though they were hard they were doable. At the end of the class we began to learn the dance which we will be performing at the end of our 8 week course. We learn a little bit more each week to the song Rhiannon Disturbia, so far I am loving the routine, it seems so fast and hard but I know it will get easier. 

Right now I am definetley not flinging myself around but I am feeling a lot more confident and keen to learn more. And let me tell you my instructor has the most amazing toned figure and if this will get me that, or even close I would be happy!



Have you ever tried pole dancing classes?



Jaime 


xx

Today I am going to try... Pole Dancing!

In my bid to make sure I continue to get fitter and not bored of exercise I have enrolled in a Pole Dancing course. This really sort of came out of the blue actually as I was talking to my beautician who has the most amazing figure and she was saying how she does it and LOVES it and there is a studio not far from where I live. I always thought the idea of learning how to fling myself upside down and all over the place was something that someone as uncoordinated like me is just not meant to do. You know what? I think that is why I want to try this, I know it will be hard, I know I will be covered head to toe in bruises, but it will use every muscle in my body, I know these days I am stronger then I probably have ever been and feel that I am ready to tackle this challenge. I have brough my best friend along with me to give it a go, to be honest I think we will spend the first few classes just laughing at each other trying to fling ourselves around this pole. 
The great thing about this class is that there will be only 5 of us, I expected there to be like 15 or 20 gorgeous girls in my class, which would be so intimidating, 5 I can handle. 

I will keep you posted how I go...

Jaime 

xx

Cheat days, friend or foe?

Lately I have been feeling like I live a double life, split personality, whatever you want to call it...Durign the week I am so healthy and fit and then come the weekend, something comes over me and I eat everything in sight, bad foods and all, then I weigh myself on the Monday morning and I have put on at least 1kg, then begins a cycle of being really good to lose that weight again.... so frustrating. One thing I tried last weekend was having a cheat day. I know, before you get all up at me for having a cheat day, for me, for right now, it works. A lot of people will tell you, that cheat days are terrible, that everything should be in moderation, I am doing that for sure and I am a huge fan of the moderation and not going without, but right now I need to break my cycle. 
I chose Saturday as my cheat day and when let me tell you, it was liberating. Now I just want to mention that this did not by any means meant that I gorged from sun up to sun down and I started my day with my usual healthy breakfast but in the afternoon when I felt like something sweet I got a packet of mashmellows, and if I wanted something I had it. It felt like it made all my hard work during the week worth it, made it easier to face the next week knowing I had that to look forward to. During the week if I felt like chocolate I would think, well if I still want it Saturday I will eat it Saturday and most times, I didn't. I went to the footy and had a saussage sizzle and really enjoyed it and when I went out that night I drank vodka lime and soda not wine. Then the next day it was back to the drawing board, and this time I had new strength to get through the week. 


I am not saying it is for everyone but it was something I needed and is working for me right now. 


Do you have cheat days?


Jaime 


xx

Review: Tiffiny Hall- The Weightloss Warrior!

Today I bring you a review of a really fantastic weight loss book. This book is by none other than the amazing trainer on The Biggest Loser-Tiffiny Hall titled "The weightloss warrior". I bought this book months ago but it wasn't until yesterday actually that I finished it. (I am a bit like that with books sometimes, I really just don't have that much time for reading, anyway)... I loved it. I have been as you all would know by now, on my own weightloss journey all this year and this book came at a time for me when I needed inspiration and guidance. I have actually read A LOT of weigthtloss books (is that weird?) and to me so much of them has just been, well either fluff of nothing helpful or a really regimented diet (the zone, I am pointing at you!). This rarely works for anyone and is not long term. One of the main reasons I love Weight Watchers is it is about long term health and well being, this is what Tiffiny is all about. 

I watched The Biggest Loser, every night and I found her style of training and discipline really inspiring and I wanted to learn more about her style and see if it was something I could apply to my life. As soon as I started reading the book I knew it was going to change the way I think about food forever. 

She opens with a really great statement I want to share with you: Health, like martial arts, is about the balance of four elements: earth (nutrition), wind (movement), fire (metabolism and muscle) and water (fluidity of the mind and body). I think this is such an important statement and one she follows throughout her book. She encourages people to try eating naked (not with no clothes on, gosh get your mind out of the gutter) but food which is unprocessed, natural and stripping meals back to the essential flavours. She believes in treats but to really treat them as that... (Something I am trying to work on)

She helps you get down to the bottom of why you are the way you are, unfit, unhealthy and to really evaulate your life, to become a healthier person you must train the mind first and then the body will follow, see it is all about listening to what your body is telling you and that bad food for example is actually harming your body. 

She teaches you not on what to eat and when but how to make healthier options which will be beneficial for your body. 

At the end of the book she does have a nice big section of yummy recipes which look fantastic and I can't wait to try! 

If you are like I was and needing some inspiration and direction and maybe even some education on your health and wellbeing then pop into your local book shop and pick this up, I know it has really helped me. Even though I have just finished it I know I will start again now as I know I will get a lot more out of it the second time and the third...

I hope you enjoy it just as much as I have. 

Have you read any good diet or health and fitness books lately?

Jaime 

xx

Peek inside my grocery trolley

I thought this Monday morning I would let you peep inside what my weekly food shop looks like. This is for myself and my boyfriend for a whole week. 

In my stash you can find...
-Free range chicken breasts
-Atlantic Salmon 
-Pork Fillets
-Organic produce when available so there was some cauliflower and some others
-Asian veggies 
-Apples and oranges for snacks
-Low Fat cottage cheese
-Free range eggs
-Limes 
-Avocado
-Frozen berries 
-Goats cheese (great to sprinkle on my healthy pizzas)
-Wholemeal pitta bread

And much more... I think the state of your shopping trolley really shows your diet, so next time you do your weekly shop, have a look and see just how much processed food and artificial ingredients you really have. 

 Jaime 

xx

Motivation of the day

Something to think about when you next make an excuse as to why you are not exercisng, I know this is something I have been known to do... you just need to look at what you do each day and think, rather than watch Home and Away on the couch, could I be at the gym instead?

Jaime 

xx

Eating and Drinking DO NOT go together!

When I was younger, everytime I would sit down to eat a meal I would down a huge drink, sometimes two to wash it down, it wasn't until a couple of years ago I learnt the truth about what is really happening inside of us...

When you start eating your body releases digestive enzymes which help your body break down this food. When you drink a lot when you are eating you are actually diluting those enzymes which means your body isn't adequately digesting those vital nutrients which means some of them will get flushed through and not absorbed like they should be. 

So next time you are eating a meal and you want to take a big gulp of water, just pause, wait a minute, if anything have a sip and keep eating. Ideally you should also wait for at least 15-30mins after you finish eating to start drinking again as it take a while for the food to pass through your digestion. 

Was this helpful, or did you already know this, miss smarty pants?

Jaime 

xx

Losing Weight Was Never Meant To Be Easy...

I love when I see people walking, just casually but they are in workout gear so you know that this is them working out... Me, I have always been a push myself to the limits, get all hot and sweaty kind of person, I love nothing more then getting my endorphins pumping and you can spot me running with a big smile on my face. I love that feeling of pushing myself harder and harder, even if it is just to the next telegraph pole and then the next, these small goals to me, really mean something.


I guess the moral of the story is to constant challenge yourself in your everyday life, it really puts things into perspective... 


How have you challenged yourself lately?

Jaime 

xx

This morning I....Went to the beach for a run!

So many people are in the mentality that it's Winter and oh it's too cold and the "I always put on a little extra padding in Winter", you know what I say to that, BULLSHIT! (Excuse my french) It is not that cold out there and you know what, these days are getting warmer, do you really want to be feeling like a fatty when Spring arrives? No, I didn't think so! Other people train and train and they run on those damn treadmills which can be ok, but if you take that person outside for a run they can't cope!

So my advice, is get out there! Enjoy the beautiful sunrises... I went down the beach this morning for a soft sand run as part of my training and it was amazing! When I got the end of the beach I sat down and took in the amazing view and it really calmed me down and put life into perspective! Why be on a treadmill watching a tv when you could have all of this?

I know it might seem a little daunting, but trust me, you might actualy like it!!

ok, I will get off my soapbox now...

Jaime 

xx

I'm back! Back in the Game!

Hey girls, 

I am back, I know I have really neglected this blog but now I am back. I wouldn't say I am better but I know that I am in a place where I am needing this blog again. You see I have been really struggling with my weight the last few weeks, have I plateaued? Maybe. I just know the old me that is hungry like a monster seems to be back and I can't seem to stop myself. My last 2 weigh ins I have put on weight, 1.5kg of weight to be exact, say what you will that it isn't a lot of weight but to me it is, to me seeing those figures on the scale was figures I was hoping to never to have to see again. I feel like I am seeing my hard work slip away from me. 


At my meeting last week I spoke with my leader and I admitted that I have not been tracking in a long time something which is so crucial to Weight Watchers and I have pledged to get back into it from today (which I have). 

I hope you all come back and start following me again, I really have a lot I am going through as I begin the dreaded "last 5 kilos" dance that so many people seem to do, so I hope you can join me on this journey and help find you some inspiration if you are in the same boat!


Jaime

xx