If I had a dollar for every time I had gone down to a hotel gym and found myself wandering around with no real direction because there was either not the equipment I expected or most likely I'm jetlagged and didn't think ahead about what I would do at the gym here are some great general ideas depending on where you are:
Jogging routes: many hotels will have an info card on local recommended jogging routes which usually allow you to not only get a workout in but also check out the local area (and feel like you have actually left the hotel).
Hotel Pool: going somewhere really hot and humid? What better way to start your day than with a refreshing dip? Set yourself a lap target and maybe alternate between freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke to mix it up and work some different muscles
In room or gym workout: is the gym closed or the hotel calls one treadmill in a broom closet a "gym" then you can likely even do a workout in your room, jump over to Pinterest and find yourself some fun workouts. There are quite literally thousands of bodyweight workouts on there that can be done in a very small space.
Tuesday 30 April 2013
Sunday 28 April 2013
Weekend wandering
On Saturday, Marcus and I decided to head out for a nice walk around our area to get some movement happening before I jumped on the plane on Sunday.
There are some amazing tracks around our neighbourhood through the bush that make for a great Saturday afternoon walk. Walking is never going to be a huge calorie burner but it is definitely a great way to get a workout in whilst still enjoying the outlook and some time with my wonderful husband before heading away for a week for a work trip.
There are some amazing tracks around our neighbourhood through the bush that make for a great Saturday afternoon walk. Walking is never going to be a huge calorie burner but it is definitely a great way to get a workout in whilst still enjoying the outlook and some time with my wonderful husband before heading away for a week for a work trip.
Friday 26 April 2013
Anzac Day
Yesterday was ANZAC day here in Australia and New Zealand. It is similar to Memorial Day I guess, where we honour those who fought and died defending our country. So yesterday morning I headed into town with my grandfather to watch him march proudly down George Street and High-5 me as he walked past.
However, in typical Aussie fashion, it is also one day of the year where people get very very drunk. There is a game that was played in war time called two-up. It is as simple as one person throwing 2 coins in the air and you bet on whether they will land on heads or tails. For such a simple game there are some very specific rules.
- It is an illegal game any other day of the year, so on ANZAC day, every pub in Australia has a ring set up with 2 coins.
- The coins must go above the head of the spinner (the person who is throwing the coins) and they must land within the marked out ring.
- The betting is done amongst those in the crowd - you literally hold notes up on your head if you want to bed that amount on heads and find someone with the money if you want to bet on tails.
- Heads holds the money until the toss is complete.
- If heads wins, you acknowledge the loser, with a smile, head nod, raise of the glass, etc. Obviously if tails wins, you hand over the cash!
Now, even with all that frivolity I still had a reasonably on track day.
Calories in - 1537
Calories out - 600
Where I fell over was my sleep and my water. I think I had about 3 cups of water all day even after playing in the sun for an hour and a very sweaty session of two-up. As a result, I almost feel hungover this morning, with a headache, sore eyes and lips and a general feeling of fatigue. Of course the fatigue could also have been due to my sleepy head only getting 7 hours sleep each night. I have decided I am going to have an easy rest day today, after yesterday and Wednesday being a 1285 calorie burn, I need to rest up for my Super Saturday Session tomorrow.
Now to explain why I am dressed like I ran into the city, after Grandad marched by, he was headed up to meet the rest of his division (unfortunately there was only 2 there that day) for a drink and lunch at a nearby hotel. I was headed over to play a great game of Oztag in the sun. Lucky for me, we won and first beers at the pub were on the other team!
However, in typical Aussie fashion, it is also one day of the year where people get very very drunk. There is a game that was played in war time called two-up. It is as simple as one person throwing 2 coins in the air and you bet on whether they will land on heads or tails. For such a simple game there are some very specific rules.
- It is an illegal game any other day of the year, so on ANZAC day, every pub in Australia has a ring set up with 2 coins.
- The coins must go above the head of the spinner (the person who is throwing the coins) and they must land within the marked out ring.
- The betting is done amongst those in the crowd - you literally hold notes up on your head if you want to bed that amount on heads and find someone with the money if you want to bet on tails.
- Heads holds the money until the toss is complete.
- If heads wins, you acknowledge the loser, with a smile, head nod, raise of the glass, etc. Obviously if tails wins, you hand over the cash!
Now, even with all that frivolity I still had a reasonably on track day.
Calories in - 1537
Calories out - 600
Where I fell over was my sleep and my water. I think I had about 3 cups of water all day even after playing in the sun for an hour and a very sweaty session of two-up. As a result, I almost feel hungover this morning, with a headache, sore eyes and lips and a general feeling of fatigue. Of course the fatigue could also have been due to my sleepy head only getting 7 hours sleep each night. I have decided I am going to have an easy rest day today, after yesterday and Wednesday being a 1285 calorie burn, I need to rest up for my Super Saturday Session tomorrow.
Thursday 25 April 2013
Thursday Check-in
Long weekends are a learning point. That is all that I can take away from this. Preparation is key, I am always saying that but yet do I listen? Not enough it would appear. The long weekend away was somewhat of a nutritional and exercise disaster, but nothing I haven't learnt from. I actually realised on Saturday afternoon when I started plugging my food in from Friday and Saturday exactly how much I had eaten, most of it were reasonable choices, I just chose too many! I didn't need breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner when I was eating large meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Sunday and the Monday were far better control and ended up around the 1500 calorie mark which was good.
At least I was able to get some great workouts in earlier in the week to counter the weekends efforts.
Monday - boxing class (627 cals)
Tuesday - spin class (484 cals)
Wednesday - circuit (644 cals)
Thursday - spin class (430 cals)
Friday - none
Saturday - walk (225 cals)
Sunday - none
I think these updates are getting a little boring considering I am not losing weight... However, this week is my off week as I like to call it. Specific to ladies, it is where I gain around 1-1.5 kgs (3-5 lbs) and then have a big loss next week - so look out for it team!
Monday - boxing class (627 cals)
Tuesday - spin class (484 cals)
Wednesday - circuit (644 cals)
Thursday - spin class (430 cals)
Friday - none
Saturday - walk (225 cals)
Sunday - none
I think these updates are getting a little boring considering I am not losing weight... However, this week is my off week as I like to call it. Specific to ladies, it is where I gain around 1-1.5 kgs (3-5 lbs) and then have a big loss next week - so look out for it team!
Wednesday 24 April 2013
Bike to Work Wednesday
After our long weekend of indulgence, it was meant to be back on the wagon yesterday for a double workout and a clean eating for the newly dubbed Keep it Tight Tuesday! The aim is to have 100% on target nutrition, smashing your workout, drink plenty of water and also getting an early night. Monday night was a reasonably early night (in bed at 9:30, asleep by 10pm) and up at 6:45am to head off to work.
Then things started to go awry... We had an issue at work that took a lot of my time and I ended up not leaving work until 6pm and missing both classes at the gym. I also didnt have enough protein at lunch so by the time I got home from work I was starving! One saving grace was that my husband and I headed out for a 40 minute brisk walk while our zucchini slice was cooking so we were able to at least get some movement going.
This morning was a whole other story! I was up at 6:30am to jump on my bike after 2 months of not riding. It turns out a ride to work when your pedal breaks and you get a flat tyre equals a scarred impression of cycling for quite some time. 696 calories later and I made it to work in a record 58 minutes according to Strava. That was 5 minutes faster than my previous best and I cracked out 9 Personal records!
Then things started to go awry... We had an issue at work that took a lot of my time and I ended up not leaving work until 6pm and missing both classes at the gym. I also didnt have enough protein at lunch so by the time I got home from work I was starving! One saving grace was that my husband and I headed out for a 40 minute brisk walk while our zucchini slice was cooking so we were able to at least get some movement going.
This morning was a whole other story! I was up at 6:30am to jump on my bike after 2 months of not riding. It turns out a ride to work when your pedal breaks and you get a flat tyre equals a scarred impression of cycling for quite some time. 696 calories later and I made it to work in a record 58 minutes according to Strava. That was 5 minutes faster than my previous best and I cracked out 9 Personal records!
Monday 22 April 2013
Inspirational Reading - Healthy Bloggers
Being a blogger, I have quite a few blogs that I follow and most of them are centred around weight loss or healthy living and they give me some great ideas as well as daily motivation to steer clear of the
Diary of an aspiring Loser - Michelle is someone like you and me, she just happens to do a lot of training. Her writing is very down to earth and she makes me feel like I know her.
Run, Eat, Repeat - Monica loves to run, but she also loves to eat! She makes me want to go for a run!
Carrots N Cake - Tina is my favourite blogger, mainly because of her adorable pug who has his own personality and seems to know which stores give him treats. Tina is a devout cross-fitter and whilst I don't, I do find the ideas behind cross-fit very intriguing. Also, she has a unique addiction to all things nut butter as do I!
Meals & Moves - no matter how many times I read Janetha, I am pretty sure I pronounce it incorrectly in my head. Again, her pups win me over every time - she pops photos up all the time about how they go to doggy day care and go to birthday parties! Too cute.
Diary of an aspiring Loser - Michelle is someone like you and me, she just happens to do a lot of training. Her writing is very down to earth and she makes me feel like I know her.
Run, Eat, Repeat - Monica loves to run, but she also loves to eat! She makes me want to go for a run!
Carrots N Cake - Tina is my favourite blogger, mainly because of her adorable pug who has his own personality and seems to know which stores give him treats. Tina is a devout cross-fitter and whilst I don't, I do find the ideas behind cross-fit very intriguing. Also, she has a unique addiction to all things nut butter as do I!
Meals & Moves - no matter how many times I read Janetha, I am pretty sure I pronounce it incorrectly in my head. Again, her pups win me over every time - she pops photos up all the time about how they go to doggy day care and go to birthday parties! Too cute.
Runner Leana - Leana is insane, she not only trains rain, hail SNOW STORM or shine, she also competes in Triathlons and calls an hour run "Short". I know Leana from our days blogging about our weddings on Weddingbee!
Does anyone else have any inspirational bloggers that they love to read?
Sunday 21 April 2013
Island dreaming
This weekend we spent a great long weekend on Magnetic Island for a family wedding. It definitely made me realise that I am very ready for winter to come to Sydney. The weather in far North Queensland was ridiculously hot and humid, making working out something that was just not done unfortunately. I only managed a short walk along the beach on Saturday morning which really wasn't enough. Not to worry, onwards and upwards from here and luckily I did get in some great workouts Monday - Thursday. The delicious food at the wedding combined with no super Saturday session will most likely equal a disappointing result this week though.
I am already planning out my workouts and our meals for the rest of the week, as per my usual Sunday evening routine (just on Monday this time). Definitely looking forward to getting back on track after this weekend!
Also just discovered the blogger app for iPad, I don't know why it has taken me so long to use this! It is awesome!
I am already planning out my workouts and our meals for the rest of the week, as per my usual Sunday evening routine (just on Monday this time). Definitely looking forward to getting back on track after this weekend!
Also just discovered the blogger app for iPad, I don't know why it has taken me so long to use this! It is awesome!
Thursday 18 April 2013
Thursday Check-in
What a week, I was at home all week - it was absolutely delightful! I started off the week with an appointment with my nutritionist bright and early Monday morning, which is actually a perfect time because it really gave me a good stance for the week. Weight loss wise, I am right on track with where she wants me to be but she still thinks I can tighten it up and be losing more. On average over the past month I was sticking to 1500 calories and I still lost weight, some days were far worse than others. All of the days when I was at 1200 calories were days when I had completed control over my food - I was either working from home or in the office. So, the new plan is to aim for 1200 calories on those days (including the weekends) and 1500 on the days when I am travelling or out of the office.
There were also a number of other things she spoke about that really helped me - having a critical look at your food intake on at least a weekly basis (if not daily) to see where you went wrong (if you did) and ways you can fix that next time. I was just mindlessly plugging my food into myfitnesspal and after the day had finished I wasnt looking at it again. Something to consider if you are finding yourself in a bit of a rut or plateau?
So, I am now following a bit of a new structure and will be trying to log on here at Eating the Olives every few days rather than once a week to really keep things accountable.
As for exercise this week, things went quite well:
Monday - Run (522 cals)
Tuesday - Walk (130 cals)
Wednesday - None
Thursday - Fitness Test (400 cals)
Friday - Step/Cross-training class (400 cals)
Saturday - Gym Cardio (568 cals)
Sunday - Oztag (796 cals)
During my gym workout on Saturday I tried out the new feature on the bikes that I hadnt used before and I went on a very scenic bike ride through New England. It also gave little tips about the area as I rode along which was quite nice.
Sunday in Sydney was an absolute cracker of a day, the sun was out in full force and we enjoyed a great tag session before the rain started on Monday night. Just quietly, how good are my footy boots! Orange may or may not be my favourite colour (see above photo drink bottle).
The stats for the week.
Weight Lost this week - 200g (0.5lbs)
Total Weight lost - 3.5kg (7.5lbs)
I am almost back down to my lowest weight after those travel weeks (100g to go), then just need to keep on seeing that downward slide!
Also, my fitness test results weren't a huge improvement but still a step in the right direction! I ended up doing mine a week late due to travel but the results were:
1 km run - 5 min 40 secs (no change)
1 minute of pushups - 28 (no change)
Plank on knees 3 minutes (14 secs longer)
Wall sit - 1 min 15 secs (6 secs longer)
I was a little dissappointed, but I have to say I will definitely make sure my Husband is around for my next fitness test in 4 weeks because he really pushes me to go further. I tried not looking at the clock but it was all quite mental I think.
There were also a number of other things she spoke about that really helped me - having a critical look at your food intake on at least a weekly basis (if not daily) to see where you went wrong (if you did) and ways you can fix that next time. I was just mindlessly plugging my food into myfitnesspal and after the day had finished I wasnt looking at it again. Something to consider if you are finding yourself in a bit of a rut or plateau?
So, I am now following a bit of a new structure and will be trying to log on here at Eating the Olives every few days rather than once a week to really keep things accountable.
As for exercise this week, things went quite well:
Monday - Run (522 cals)
Tuesday - Walk (130 cals)
Wednesday - None
Thursday - Fitness Test (400 cals)
Friday - Step/Cross-training class (400 cals)
Saturday - Gym Cardio (568 cals)
Sunday - Oztag (796 cals)
During my gym workout on Saturday I tried out the new feature on the bikes that I hadnt used before and I went on a very scenic bike ride through New England. It also gave little tips about the area as I rode along which was quite nice.
Sunday in Sydney was an absolute cracker of a day, the sun was out in full force and we enjoyed a great tag session before the rain started on Monday night. Just quietly, how good are my footy boots! Orange may or may not be my favourite colour (see above photo drink bottle).
The stats for the week.
Weight Lost this week - 200g (0.5lbs)
Total Weight lost - 3.5kg (7.5lbs)
I am almost back down to my lowest weight after those travel weeks (100g to go), then just need to keep on seeing that downward slide!
Also, my fitness test results weren't a huge improvement but still a step in the right direction! I ended up doing mine a week late due to travel but the results were:
1 km run - 5 min 40 secs (no change)
1 minute of pushups - 28 (no change)
Plank on knees 3 minutes (14 secs longer)
Wall sit - 1 min 15 secs (6 secs longer)
I was a little dissappointed, but I have to say I will definitely make sure my Husband is around for my next fitness test in 4 weeks because he really pushes me to go further. I tried not looking at the clock but it was all quite mental I think.
Early bird
Is there any better feeling than having your workout for the day done and dusted by 7am? I have been trying out a new outdoor training group this week down at Balmoral Beach that starts at 6am and has me working out as the sun comes up. Here is the team doing burpees in the sand - that is me on the far left! What a great setting for our workout!
Photo courtesy of Brooke at Evolution to Wellness
Then it was off home to dust all the sand off and get ready for a long day of work and a food court to contend with. I think I did well having 2 prawn rice paper rolls, an apple and a handful of dry roasted almonds. Speaking of almonds - I am not sure if I am missing something here but dry roasted almonds taste WAY better than raw almonds, I hope they are truly dry roasted (ie no oil) because I will definitely be adding those into my snack pile now.
Dinner was date night with a Cudo voucher for a local Nepalese Restaurant that we go to all the time and once again it did not dissappoint! It was so tasty and I even tried some more red wine! A winter goal for myself is to find a red wine that I like so that I can drink it during winter. We have these beautiful red wine glasses that my husband and our friends use but I never liked red wine so I didn't get to use them. I am teaching myself to drink it though. I will succeed. To think how many years ago it was that I was teaching myself to drink tea and now I couldnt think of anything better.
Summary
Calories In - 1494
Calories Out - 644
Water Intake - 2 litres
Sleep night before - 7 hours
Wednesday 17 April 2013
Rainy Days
It was pouring with rain here in Sydney yesterday and we woke to the awful news of the Boston Marathon. It just pains me to think how someone could think to do something so awful.
I am really liking having this place to document my days and how my exercise and nutrition is coming along and as my nutritionist just recommended last week I really need to be looking back on each day and thinking about where I could improve so guess what, ill be doing that on here! I am really motivated by reading about other people's days and how they eat and when they fit in workouts so hopefully others can also learn from my mistakes.
With the rainy weather it meant that I couldnt pick up where I left off with my bike riding. I was planning on riding to work but the roads are quite wet and not being the most confident rider, I decided to roll over and go back to sleep. I was very keen to try out my new pannier and pedals that I recently had on my bike. It did mean I could enjoy my current favourite breakfast of banana, yoghurt, honey and chia seeds!
I wasnt planning on bringing my lunch today, as it is not worth carrying the esky pack (cooler) on the back of the bike, so I had a toasted sandwich for lunch at work.
Things got really creative when it was time for my snacks, I had an apple for morning tea and wait for it.... an apple for afternoon tea!
After work I popped up to the gym to make up for my missed bike ride today and jumped into a spin class. It was tough, there was not many of us in the class but boy oh boy did she smash us! Might have to make the Tuesday evening spin class part of my regular routine I think.
Dinner was the most amazing meal in the world, the slow cooked massaman beef that I had cooked last night. My goodness it is so tasty and actually tastes better the next day I think!
Summary:
Calories in: 1180
Calories out: 484
Water consumption: 1.8 litres
Hours sleep last night: 8 hours.
I am really liking having this place to document my days and how my exercise and nutrition is coming along and as my nutritionist just recommended last week I really need to be looking back on each day and thinking about where I could improve so guess what, ill be doing that on here! I am really motivated by reading about other people's days and how they eat and when they fit in workouts so hopefully others can also learn from my mistakes.
With the rainy weather it meant that I couldnt pick up where I left off with my bike riding. I was planning on riding to work but the roads are quite wet and not being the most confident rider, I decided to roll over and go back to sleep. I was very keen to try out my new pannier and pedals that I recently had on my bike. It did mean I could enjoy my current favourite breakfast of banana, yoghurt, honey and chia seeds!
Things got really creative when it was time for my snacks, I had an apple for morning tea and wait for it.... an apple for afternoon tea!
After work I popped up to the gym to make up for my missed bike ride today and jumped into a spin class. It was tough, there was not many of us in the class but boy oh boy did she smash us! Might have to make the Tuesday evening spin class part of my regular routine I think.
Dinner was the most amazing meal in the world, the slow cooked massaman beef that I had cooked last night. My goodness it is so tasty and actually tastes better the next day I think!
Summary:
Calories in: 1180
Calories out: 484
Water consumption: 1.8 litres
Hours sleep last night: 8 hours.
Tuesday 16 April 2013
Plank a day!
I am trying to work on increasing my core strength at the moment because I have been getting such a sore back from riding and running. So what better way to motivate myself than with a social media hashtag!
I am using #loplankaday (LicoriceOlives is my instagram handle too) and I am trying to do a plank most days of the week and snap a photo for Instagram! Here are some of them so far.
So far, these have been anywhere from a hotel room, the gym or our living room floor! Feel free to join in!
I really want to get to 2 minutes by the end of April, going to have to keep pushing on!
I am using #loplankaday (LicoriceOlives is my instagram handle too) and I am trying to do a plank most days of the week and snap a photo for Instagram! Here are some of them so far.
So far, these have been anywhere from a hotel room, the gym or our living room floor! Feel free to join in!
I really want to get to 2 minutes by the end of April, going to have to keep pushing on!
Thursday 11 April 2013
Thursday Check in
Another Thursday Check-in! This one is actually a good one because I have been going very well and finally kick-started myself and have managed to lose some weight! Yee Haa!!
Last week I was away again, but it was only to Melbourne so it wasn't too bad. I think the relief of finally not having to travel again for a while was better than anything else. One benefit of course of travelling is that I get to catch up with friends that I otherwise wouldnt get to see. Such as the friends that just added one little furry friend to their home!
Exercise this week was also pretty good, Wednesday's session could have been slightly better but I only had an hour between when I got to the hotel and when I had to leave for dinner so it was better than nothing!
Monday - Oztag (800 calories)
Tuesday - Run (532 calories)
Wednesday - General cardio (219 calories)
Thursday - Run (460 calories)
Friday - None
Saturday - None
Sunday - Oztag (791 calories)
This is the view at the end of my Thursday afternoon run, I love Melbourne in Autumn!
Now of course for the stats! I havent been including these recently because I have been staying at the same weight, which I sometimes need reminding that that is still a good effort! I am super happy to be back down to my lowest, so look out next week!!
Lost this week: 0.7kg (1.5lbs)
Total Weight lost: 3.6kg (8lbs)
Last week I was away again, but it was only to Melbourne so it wasn't too bad. I think the relief of finally not having to travel again for a while was better than anything else. One benefit of course of travelling is that I get to catch up with friends that I otherwise wouldnt get to see. Such as the friends that just added one little furry friend to their home!
Exercise this week was also pretty good, Wednesday's session could have been slightly better but I only had an hour between when I got to the hotel and when I had to leave for dinner so it was better than nothing!
Monday - Oztag (800 calories)
Tuesday - Run (532 calories)
Wednesday - General cardio (219 calories)
Thursday - Run (460 calories)
Friday - None
Saturday - None
Sunday - Oztag (791 calories)
This is the view at the end of my Thursday afternoon run, I love Melbourne in Autumn!
Now of course for the stats! I havent been including these recently because I have been staying at the same weight, which I sometimes need reminding that that is still a good effort! I am super happy to be back down to my lowest, so look out next week!!
Lost this week: 0.7kg (1.5lbs)
Total Weight lost: 3.6kg (8lbs)
Thursday 4 April 2013
Thursday Check-in
Easter, oh Easter.... So much chocolate. Doesnt usually bode well for a weight loss mission, but I did my best and I definitely spread my crunchie bunny over a few days which was good! I usually eat the whole lot in one morning!
The exercise wasnt too bad considering. I got some great runs in and a good session on Saturday down at the sand hills, that is tough work.
Monday - Run (515 calories)
Tuesday - Strength workout (415 calories)
Wednesday - Run (532 calories)
Thursday - None
Friday - None
Saturday - Sand Hills (760 calories)
Sunday - None
I can't believe I havent even spoken about my heart rate monitor on here. I absolutely love this thing. Even though there is a little controversy around how accurate they are and what not, it still pushes me and that is the part that I love. I wear this every time I work out and it encourages me to "just get to 400" or "50 more calories" so it is such a great motivator!
Weight wise I am still the same and starting to get a little frustrated with it... Although, probably all that chocolate has something to do with it?? I have an appointment with my nutritionist again in a week, so I will have to talk to her about what is going on?
Here is another great picture from Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia where I did my Wednesday run this week:
The exercise wasnt too bad considering. I got some great runs in and a good session on Saturday down at the sand hills, that is tough work.
Monday - Run (515 calories)
Tuesday - Strength workout (415 calories)
Wednesday - Run (532 calories)
Thursday - None
Friday - None
Saturday - Sand Hills (760 calories)
Sunday - None
I can't believe I havent even spoken about my heart rate monitor on here. I absolutely love this thing. Even though there is a little controversy around how accurate they are and what not, it still pushes me and that is the part that I love. I wear this every time I work out and it encourages me to "just get to 400" or "50 more calories" so it is such a great motivator!
Weight wise I am still the same and starting to get a little frustrated with it... Although, probably all that chocolate has something to do with it?? I have an appointment with my nutritionist again in a week, so I will have to talk to her about what is going on?
Here is another great picture from Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia where I did my Wednesday run this week:
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Tuesday 30 April 2013
Hotel workouts
If I had a dollar for every time I had gone down to a hotel gym and found myself wandering around with no real direction because there was either not the equipment I expected or most likely I'm jetlagged and didn't think ahead about what I would do at the gym here are some great general ideas depending on where you are:
Jogging routes: many hotels will have an info card on local recommended jogging routes which usually allow you to not only get a workout in but also check out the local area (and feel like you have actually left the hotel).
Hotel Pool: going somewhere really hot and humid? What better way to start your day than with a refreshing dip? Set yourself a lap target and maybe alternate between freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke to mix it up and work some different muscles
In room or gym workout: is the gym closed or the hotel calls one treadmill in a broom closet a "gym" then you can likely even do a workout in your room, jump over to Pinterest and find yourself some fun workouts. There are quite literally thousands of bodyweight workouts on there that can be done in a very small space.
Jogging routes: many hotels will have an info card on local recommended jogging routes which usually allow you to not only get a workout in but also check out the local area (and feel like you have actually left the hotel).
Hotel Pool: going somewhere really hot and humid? What better way to start your day than with a refreshing dip? Set yourself a lap target and maybe alternate between freestyle, backstroke and breaststroke to mix it up and work some different muscles
In room or gym workout: is the gym closed or the hotel calls one treadmill in a broom closet a "gym" then you can likely even do a workout in your room, jump over to Pinterest and find yourself some fun workouts. There are quite literally thousands of bodyweight workouts on there that can be done in a very small space.
Sunday 28 April 2013
Weekend wandering
On Saturday, Marcus and I decided to head out for a nice walk around our area to get some movement happening before I jumped on the plane on Sunday.
There are some amazing tracks around our neighbourhood through the bush that make for a great Saturday afternoon walk. Walking is never going to be a huge calorie burner but it is definitely a great way to get a workout in whilst still enjoying the outlook and some time with my wonderful husband before heading away for a week for a work trip.
There are some amazing tracks around our neighbourhood through the bush that make for a great Saturday afternoon walk. Walking is never going to be a huge calorie burner but it is definitely a great way to get a workout in whilst still enjoying the outlook and some time with my wonderful husband before heading away for a week for a work trip.
Friday 26 April 2013
Anzac Day
Yesterday was ANZAC day here in Australia and New Zealand. It is similar to Memorial Day I guess, where we honour those who fought and died defending our country. So yesterday morning I headed into town with my grandfather to watch him march proudly down George Street and High-5 me as he walked past.
However, in typical Aussie fashion, it is also one day of the year where people get very very drunk. There is a game that was played in war time called two-up. It is as simple as one person throwing 2 coins in the air and you bet on whether they will land on heads or tails. For such a simple game there are some very specific rules.
- It is an illegal game any other day of the year, so on ANZAC day, every pub in Australia has a ring set up with 2 coins.
- The coins must go above the head of the spinner (the person who is throwing the coins) and they must land within the marked out ring.
- The betting is done amongst those in the crowd - you literally hold notes up on your head if you want to bed that amount on heads and find someone with the money if you want to bet on tails.
- Heads holds the money until the toss is complete.
- If heads wins, you acknowledge the loser, with a smile, head nod, raise of the glass, etc. Obviously if tails wins, you hand over the cash!
Now, even with all that frivolity I still had a reasonably on track day.
Calories in - 1537
Calories out - 600
Where I fell over was my sleep and my water. I think I had about 3 cups of water all day even after playing in the sun for an hour and a very sweaty session of two-up. As a result, I almost feel hungover this morning, with a headache, sore eyes and lips and a general feeling of fatigue. Of course the fatigue could also have been due to my sleepy head only getting 7 hours sleep each night. I have decided I am going to have an easy rest day today, after yesterday and Wednesday being a 1285 calorie burn, I need to rest up for my Super Saturday Session tomorrow.
Now to explain why I am dressed like I ran into the city, after Grandad marched by, he was headed up to meet the rest of his division (unfortunately there was only 2 there that day) for a drink and lunch at a nearby hotel. I was headed over to play a great game of Oztag in the sun. Lucky for me, we won and first beers at the pub were on the other team!
However, in typical Aussie fashion, it is also one day of the year where people get very very drunk. There is a game that was played in war time called two-up. It is as simple as one person throwing 2 coins in the air and you bet on whether they will land on heads or tails. For such a simple game there are some very specific rules.
- It is an illegal game any other day of the year, so on ANZAC day, every pub in Australia has a ring set up with 2 coins.
- The coins must go above the head of the spinner (the person who is throwing the coins) and they must land within the marked out ring.
- The betting is done amongst those in the crowd - you literally hold notes up on your head if you want to bed that amount on heads and find someone with the money if you want to bet on tails.
- Heads holds the money until the toss is complete.
- If heads wins, you acknowledge the loser, with a smile, head nod, raise of the glass, etc. Obviously if tails wins, you hand over the cash!
Now, even with all that frivolity I still had a reasonably on track day.
Calories in - 1537
Calories out - 600
Where I fell over was my sleep and my water. I think I had about 3 cups of water all day even after playing in the sun for an hour and a very sweaty session of two-up. As a result, I almost feel hungover this morning, with a headache, sore eyes and lips and a general feeling of fatigue. Of course the fatigue could also have been due to my sleepy head only getting 7 hours sleep each night. I have decided I am going to have an easy rest day today, after yesterday and Wednesday being a 1285 calorie burn, I need to rest up for my Super Saturday Session tomorrow.
Thursday 25 April 2013
Thursday Check-in
Long weekends are a learning point. That is all that I can take away from this. Preparation is key, I am always saying that but yet do I listen? Not enough it would appear. The long weekend away was somewhat of a nutritional and exercise disaster, but nothing I haven't learnt from. I actually realised on Saturday afternoon when I started plugging my food in from Friday and Saturday exactly how much I had eaten, most of it were reasonable choices, I just chose too many! I didn't need breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner when I was eating large meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Sunday and the Monday were far better control and ended up around the 1500 calorie mark which was good.
At least I was able to get some great workouts in earlier in the week to counter the weekends efforts.
Monday - boxing class (627 cals)
Tuesday - spin class (484 cals)
Wednesday - circuit (644 cals)
Thursday - spin class (430 cals)
Friday - none
Saturday - walk (225 cals)
Sunday - none
I think these updates are getting a little boring considering I am not losing weight... However, this week is my off week as I like to call it. Specific to ladies, it is where I gain around 1-1.5 kgs (3-5 lbs) and then have a big loss next week - so look out for it team!
Monday - boxing class (627 cals)
Tuesday - spin class (484 cals)
Wednesday - circuit (644 cals)
Thursday - spin class (430 cals)
Friday - none
Saturday - walk (225 cals)
Sunday - none
I think these updates are getting a little boring considering I am not losing weight... However, this week is my off week as I like to call it. Specific to ladies, it is where I gain around 1-1.5 kgs (3-5 lbs) and then have a big loss next week - so look out for it team!
Wednesday 24 April 2013
Bike to Work Wednesday
After our long weekend of indulgence, it was meant to be back on the wagon yesterday for a double workout and a clean eating for the newly dubbed Keep it Tight Tuesday! The aim is to have 100% on target nutrition, smashing your workout, drink plenty of water and also getting an early night. Monday night was a reasonably early night (in bed at 9:30, asleep by 10pm) and up at 6:45am to head off to work.
Then things started to go awry... We had an issue at work that took a lot of my time and I ended up not leaving work until 6pm and missing both classes at the gym. I also didnt have enough protein at lunch so by the time I got home from work I was starving! One saving grace was that my husband and I headed out for a 40 minute brisk walk while our zucchini slice was cooking so we were able to at least get some movement going.
This morning was a whole other story! I was up at 6:30am to jump on my bike after 2 months of not riding. It turns out a ride to work when your pedal breaks and you get a flat tyre equals a scarred impression of cycling for quite some time. 696 calories later and I made it to work in a record 58 minutes according to Strava. That was 5 minutes faster than my previous best and I cracked out 9 Personal records!
Then things started to go awry... We had an issue at work that took a lot of my time and I ended up not leaving work until 6pm and missing both classes at the gym. I also didnt have enough protein at lunch so by the time I got home from work I was starving! One saving grace was that my husband and I headed out for a 40 minute brisk walk while our zucchini slice was cooking so we were able to at least get some movement going.
This morning was a whole other story! I was up at 6:30am to jump on my bike after 2 months of not riding. It turns out a ride to work when your pedal breaks and you get a flat tyre equals a scarred impression of cycling for quite some time. 696 calories later and I made it to work in a record 58 minutes according to Strava. That was 5 minutes faster than my previous best and I cracked out 9 Personal records!
Monday 22 April 2013
Inspirational Reading - Healthy Bloggers
Being a blogger, I have quite a few blogs that I follow and most of them are centred around weight loss or healthy living and they give me some great ideas as well as daily motivation to steer clear of the
Diary of an aspiring Loser - Michelle is someone like you and me, she just happens to do a lot of training. Her writing is very down to earth and she makes me feel like I know her.
Run, Eat, Repeat - Monica loves to run, but she also loves to eat! She makes me want to go for a run!
Carrots N Cake - Tina is my favourite blogger, mainly because of her adorable pug who has his own personality and seems to know which stores give him treats. Tina is a devout cross-fitter and whilst I don't, I do find the ideas behind cross-fit very intriguing. Also, she has a unique addiction to all things nut butter as do I!
Meals & Moves - no matter how many times I read Janetha, I am pretty sure I pronounce it incorrectly in my head. Again, her pups win me over every time - she pops photos up all the time about how they go to doggy day care and go to birthday parties! Too cute.
Diary of an aspiring Loser - Michelle is someone like you and me, she just happens to do a lot of training. Her writing is very down to earth and she makes me feel like I know her.
Run, Eat, Repeat - Monica loves to run, but she also loves to eat! She makes me want to go for a run!
Carrots N Cake - Tina is my favourite blogger, mainly because of her adorable pug who has his own personality and seems to know which stores give him treats. Tina is a devout cross-fitter and whilst I don't, I do find the ideas behind cross-fit very intriguing. Also, she has a unique addiction to all things nut butter as do I!
Meals & Moves - no matter how many times I read Janetha, I am pretty sure I pronounce it incorrectly in my head. Again, her pups win me over every time - she pops photos up all the time about how they go to doggy day care and go to birthday parties! Too cute.
Runner Leana - Leana is insane, she not only trains rain, hail SNOW STORM or shine, she also competes in Triathlons and calls an hour run "Short". I know Leana from our days blogging about our weddings on Weddingbee!
Does anyone else have any inspirational bloggers that they love to read?
Sunday 21 April 2013
Island dreaming
This weekend we spent a great long weekend on Magnetic Island for a family wedding. It definitely made me realise that I am very ready for winter to come to Sydney. The weather in far North Queensland was ridiculously hot and humid, making working out something that was just not done unfortunately. I only managed a short walk along the beach on Saturday morning which really wasn't enough. Not to worry, onwards and upwards from here and luckily I did get in some great workouts Monday - Thursday. The delicious food at the wedding combined with no super Saturday session will most likely equal a disappointing result this week though.
I am already planning out my workouts and our meals for the rest of the week, as per my usual Sunday evening routine (just on Monday this time). Definitely looking forward to getting back on track after this weekend!
Also just discovered the blogger app for iPad, I don't know why it has taken me so long to use this! It is awesome!
I am already planning out my workouts and our meals for the rest of the week, as per my usual Sunday evening routine (just on Monday this time). Definitely looking forward to getting back on track after this weekend!
Also just discovered the blogger app for iPad, I don't know why it has taken me so long to use this! It is awesome!
Thursday 18 April 2013
Thursday Check-in
What a week, I was at home all week - it was absolutely delightful! I started off the week with an appointment with my nutritionist bright and early Monday morning, which is actually a perfect time because it really gave me a good stance for the week. Weight loss wise, I am right on track with where she wants me to be but she still thinks I can tighten it up and be losing more. On average over the past month I was sticking to 1500 calories and I still lost weight, some days were far worse than others. All of the days when I was at 1200 calories were days when I had completed control over my food - I was either working from home or in the office. So, the new plan is to aim for 1200 calories on those days (including the weekends) and 1500 on the days when I am travelling or out of the office.
There were also a number of other things she spoke about that really helped me - having a critical look at your food intake on at least a weekly basis (if not daily) to see where you went wrong (if you did) and ways you can fix that next time. I was just mindlessly plugging my food into myfitnesspal and after the day had finished I wasnt looking at it again. Something to consider if you are finding yourself in a bit of a rut or plateau?
So, I am now following a bit of a new structure and will be trying to log on here at Eating the Olives every few days rather than once a week to really keep things accountable.
As for exercise this week, things went quite well:
Monday - Run (522 cals)
Tuesday - Walk (130 cals)
Wednesday - None
Thursday - Fitness Test (400 cals)
Friday - Step/Cross-training class (400 cals)
Saturday - Gym Cardio (568 cals)
Sunday - Oztag (796 cals)
During my gym workout on Saturday I tried out the new feature on the bikes that I hadnt used before and I went on a very scenic bike ride through New England. It also gave little tips about the area as I rode along which was quite nice.
Sunday in Sydney was an absolute cracker of a day, the sun was out in full force and we enjoyed a great tag session before the rain started on Monday night. Just quietly, how good are my footy boots! Orange may or may not be my favourite colour (see above photo drink bottle).
The stats for the week.
Weight Lost this week - 200g (0.5lbs)
Total Weight lost - 3.5kg (7.5lbs)
I am almost back down to my lowest weight after those travel weeks (100g to go), then just need to keep on seeing that downward slide!
Also, my fitness test results weren't a huge improvement but still a step in the right direction! I ended up doing mine a week late due to travel but the results were:
1 km run - 5 min 40 secs (no change)
1 minute of pushups - 28 (no change)
Plank on knees 3 minutes (14 secs longer)
Wall sit - 1 min 15 secs (6 secs longer)
I was a little dissappointed, but I have to say I will definitely make sure my Husband is around for my next fitness test in 4 weeks because he really pushes me to go further. I tried not looking at the clock but it was all quite mental I think.
There were also a number of other things she spoke about that really helped me - having a critical look at your food intake on at least a weekly basis (if not daily) to see where you went wrong (if you did) and ways you can fix that next time. I was just mindlessly plugging my food into myfitnesspal and after the day had finished I wasnt looking at it again. Something to consider if you are finding yourself in a bit of a rut or plateau?
So, I am now following a bit of a new structure and will be trying to log on here at Eating the Olives every few days rather than once a week to really keep things accountable.
As for exercise this week, things went quite well:
Monday - Run (522 cals)
Tuesday - Walk (130 cals)
Wednesday - None
Thursday - Fitness Test (400 cals)
Friday - Step/Cross-training class (400 cals)
Saturday - Gym Cardio (568 cals)
Sunday - Oztag (796 cals)
During my gym workout on Saturday I tried out the new feature on the bikes that I hadnt used before and I went on a very scenic bike ride through New England. It also gave little tips about the area as I rode along which was quite nice.
Sunday in Sydney was an absolute cracker of a day, the sun was out in full force and we enjoyed a great tag session before the rain started on Monday night. Just quietly, how good are my footy boots! Orange may or may not be my favourite colour (see above photo drink bottle).
The stats for the week.
Weight Lost this week - 200g (0.5lbs)
Total Weight lost - 3.5kg (7.5lbs)
I am almost back down to my lowest weight after those travel weeks (100g to go), then just need to keep on seeing that downward slide!
Also, my fitness test results weren't a huge improvement but still a step in the right direction! I ended up doing mine a week late due to travel but the results were:
1 km run - 5 min 40 secs (no change)
1 minute of pushups - 28 (no change)
Plank on knees 3 minutes (14 secs longer)
Wall sit - 1 min 15 secs (6 secs longer)
I was a little dissappointed, but I have to say I will definitely make sure my Husband is around for my next fitness test in 4 weeks because he really pushes me to go further. I tried not looking at the clock but it was all quite mental I think.
Early bird
Is there any better feeling than having your workout for the day done and dusted by 7am? I have been trying out a new outdoor training group this week down at Balmoral Beach that starts at 6am and has me working out as the sun comes up. Here is the team doing burpees in the sand - that is me on the far left! What a great setting for our workout!
Photo courtesy of Brooke at Evolution to Wellness
Then it was off home to dust all the sand off and get ready for a long day of work and a food court to contend with. I think I did well having 2 prawn rice paper rolls, an apple and a handful of dry roasted almonds. Speaking of almonds - I am not sure if I am missing something here but dry roasted almonds taste WAY better than raw almonds, I hope they are truly dry roasted (ie no oil) because I will definitely be adding those into my snack pile now.
Dinner was date night with a Cudo voucher for a local Nepalese Restaurant that we go to all the time and once again it did not dissappoint! It was so tasty and I even tried some more red wine! A winter goal for myself is to find a red wine that I like so that I can drink it during winter. We have these beautiful red wine glasses that my husband and our friends use but I never liked red wine so I didn't get to use them. I am teaching myself to drink it though. I will succeed. To think how many years ago it was that I was teaching myself to drink tea and now I couldnt think of anything better.
Summary
Calories In - 1494
Calories Out - 644
Water Intake - 2 litres
Sleep night before - 7 hours
Wednesday 17 April 2013
Rainy Days
It was pouring with rain here in Sydney yesterday and we woke to the awful news of the Boston Marathon. It just pains me to think how someone could think to do something so awful.
I am really liking having this place to document my days and how my exercise and nutrition is coming along and as my nutritionist just recommended last week I really need to be looking back on each day and thinking about where I could improve so guess what, ill be doing that on here! I am really motivated by reading about other people's days and how they eat and when they fit in workouts so hopefully others can also learn from my mistakes.
With the rainy weather it meant that I couldnt pick up where I left off with my bike riding. I was planning on riding to work but the roads are quite wet and not being the most confident rider, I decided to roll over and go back to sleep. I was very keen to try out my new pannier and pedals that I recently had on my bike. It did mean I could enjoy my current favourite breakfast of banana, yoghurt, honey and chia seeds!
I wasnt planning on bringing my lunch today, as it is not worth carrying the esky pack (cooler) on the back of the bike, so I had a toasted sandwich for lunch at work.
Things got really creative when it was time for my snacks, I had an apple for morning tea and wait for it.... an apple for afternoon tea!
After work I popped up to the gym to make up for my missed bike ride today and jumped into a spin class. It was tough, there was not many of us in the class but boy oh boy did she smash us! Might have to make the Tuesday evening spin class part of my regular routine I think.
Dinner was the most amazing meal in the world, the slow cooked massaman beef that I had cooked last night. My goodness it is so tasty and actually tastes better the next day I think!
Summary:
Calories in: 1180
Calories out: 484
Water consumption: 1.8 litres
Hours sleep last night: 8 hours.
I am really liking having this place to document my days and how my exercise and nutrition is coming along and as my nutritionist just recommended last week I really need to be looking back on each day and thinking about where I could improve so guess what, ill be doing that on here! I am really motivated by reading about other people's days and how they eat and when they fit in workouts so hopefully others can also learn from my mistakes.
With the rainy weather it meant that I couldnt pick up where I left off with my bike riding. I was planning on riding to work but the roads are quite wet and not being the most confident rider, I decided to roll over and go back to sleep. I was very keen to try out my new pannier and pedals that I recently had on my bike. It did mean I could enjoy my current favourite breakfast of banana, yoghurt, honey and chia seeds!
Things got really creative when it was time for my snacks, I had an apple for morning tea and wait for it.... an apple for afternoon tea!
After work I popped up to the gym to make up for my missed bike ride today and jumped into a spin class. It was tough, there was not many of us in the class but boy oh boy did she smash us! Might have to make the Tuesday evening spin class part of my regular routine I think.
Dinner was the most amazing meal in the world, the slow cooked massaman beef that I had cooked last night. My goodness it is so tasty and actually tastes better the next day I think!
Summary:
Calories in: 1180
Calories out: 484
Water consumption: 1.8 litres
Hours sleep last night: 8 hours.
Tuesday 16 April 2013
Plank a day!
I am trying to work on increasing my core strength at the moment because I have been getting such a sore back from riding and running. So what better way to motivate myself than with a social media hashtag!
I am using #loplankaday (LicoriceOlives is my instagram handle too) and I am trying to do a plank most days of the week and snap a photo for Instagram! Here are some of them so far.
So far, these have been anywhere from a hotel room, the gym or our living room floor! Feel free to join in!
I really want to get to 2 minutes by the end of April, going to have to keep pushing on!
I am using #loplankaday (LicoriceOlives is my instagram handle too) and I am trying to do a plank most days of the week and snap a photo for Instagram! Here are some of them so far.
So far, these have been anywhere from a hotel room, the gym or our living room floor! Feel free to join in!
I really want to get to 2 minutes by the end of April, going to have to keep pushing on!
Thursday 11 April 2013
Thursday Check in
Another Thursday Check-in! This one is actually a good one because I have been going very well and finally kick-started myself and have managed to lose some weight! Yee Haa!!
Last week I was away again, but it was only to Melbourne so it wasn't too bad. I think the relief of finally not having to travel again for a while was better than anything else. One benefit of course of travelling is that I get to catch up with friends that I otherwise wouldnt get to see. Such as the friends that just added one little furry friend to their home!
Exercise this week was also pretty good, Wednesday's session could have been slightly better but I only had an hour between when I got to the hotel and when I had to leave for dinner so it was better than nothing!
Monday - Oztag (800 calories)
Tuesday - Run (532 calories)
Wednesday - General cardio (219 calories)
Thursday - Run (460 calories)
Friday - None
Saturday - None
Sunday - Oztag (791 calories)
This is the view at the end of my Thursday afternoon run, I love Melbourne in Autumn!
Now of course for the stats! I havent been including these recently because I have been staying at the same weight, which I sometimes need reminding that that is still a good effort! I am super happy to be back down to my lowest, so look out next week!!
Lost this week: 0.7kg (1.5lbs)
Total Weight lost: 3.6kg (8lbs)
Last week I was away again, but it was only to Melbourne so it wasn't too bad. I think the relief of finally not having to travel again for a while was better than anything else. One benefit of course of travelling is that I get to catch up with friends that I otherwise wouldnt get to see. Such as the friends that just added one little furry friend to their home!
Exercise this week was also pretty good, Wednesday's session could have been slightly better but I only had an hour between when I got to the hotel and when I had to leave for dinner so it was better than nothing!
Monday - Oztag (800 calories)
Tuesday - Run (532 calories)
Wednesday - General cardio (219 calories)
Thursday - Run (460 calories)
Friday - None
Saturday - None
Sunday - Oztag (791 calories)
This is the view at the end of my Thursday afternoon run, I love Melbourne in Autumn!
Now of course for the stats! I havent been including these recently because I have been staying at the same weight, which I sometimes need reminding that that is still a good effort! I am super happy to be back down to my lowest, so look out next week!!
Lost this week: 0.7kg (1.5lbs)
Total Weight lost: 3.6kg (8lbs)
Thursday 4 April 2013
Thursday Check-in
Easter, oh Easter.... So much chocolate. Doesnt usually bode well for a weight loss mission, but I did my best and I definitely spread my crunchie bunny over a few days which was good! I usually eat the whole lot in one morning!
The exercise wasnt too bad considering. I got some great runs in and a good session on Saturday down at the sand hills, that is tough work.
Monday - Run (515 calories)
Tuesday - Strength workout (415 calories)
Wednesday - Run (532 calories)
Thursday - None
Friday - None
Saturday - Sand Hills (760 calories)
Sunday - None
I can't believe I havent even spoken about my heart rate monitor on here. I absolutely love this thing. Even though there is a little controversy around how accurate they are and what not, it still pushes me and that is the part that I love. I wear this every time I work out and it encourages me to "just get to 400" or "50 more calories" so it is such a great motivator!
Weight wise I am still the same and starting to get a little frustrated with it... Although, probably all that chocolate has something to do with it?? I have an appointment with my nutritionist again in a week, so I will have to talk to her about what is going on?
Here is another great picture from Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia where I did my Wednesday run this week:
The exercise wasnt too bad considering. I got some great runs in and a good session on Saturday down at the sand hills, that is tough work.
Monday - Run (515 calories)
Tuesday - Strength workout (415 calories)
Wednesday - Run (532 calories)
Thursday - None
Friday - None
Saturday - Sand Hills (760 calories)
Sunday - None
I can't believe I havent even spoken about my heart rate monitor on here. I absolutely love this thing. Even though there is a little controversy around how accurate they are and what not, it still pushes me and that is the part that I love. I wear this every time I work out and it encourages me to "just get to 400" or "50 more calories" so it is such a great motivator!
Weight wise I am still the same and starting to get a little frustrated with it... Although, probably all that chocolate has something to do with it?? I have an appointment with my nutritionist again in a week, so I will have to talk to her about what is going on?
Here is another great picture from Kings Park in Perth, Western Australia where I did my Wednesday run this week:
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