Leaving Outside Off Stump

Had an "off" day yesterday. I didn't sleep very well on Wednesday so I was pretty tired. The morning went well and I got a fair bit of work done but come afternoon I was flat as a tack. I ended up wasting almost 2 hours not working just reading the news on the web. While at the start of the day I was deadset keen to bring up 4 in a row by mid-afternoon there was no way I felt like the gym, even though it would've been a weights session to rest my legs. Looking at my exercise and food diary also reveals another factor to my crashing- No lunch. This further reinforces the need for small but repeated meals to keep me up. I distinctly remember yesterday though the inate urge to go grab some take-away at lunch mainly because its quick and easy nature. Luckily though I fought the urge.

Things weren't going well so I decided to leave work and go home for a rest. I decide to leave the balls outside off stump to work myself back into a good frame of mind. It seems to have worked too, I am feeling refreshed and positive again and keen to bring on the mid arvo gym. I started the day well with a cricket net session with my brother. Copped a few on my arms but other than that did ok. Back on the Up!

FOOD DIARY- B= lrg serve bacon and eggs with toast, butter and tomato; S= tea w sugar;L= Nothing;S= 5 cream biscuts, milk, lrg serve dairy milk chocolate; D= lrg serve mince curry, rice and veges, poached apple, ice cream and custard; S= med serve nutella

EXERCISE DIARY- Nothing

Walks back to his mark...

The team close in. A slow clap begins from the crowd. He launches into a run.3...2....1.....Bowled him! Thats a hatrick! Yes, yesterday I backed up my back-up and had 3 gym sessions in as many days. Did the same set of running, 20 push-ups and then a ab set. Good to put them together but noticed how sore and tight my legs were getting. Towards the end I felt a little pain in my ankle so I was forced to back off the pace a little. So today I am going to do a weights session. I will make up the cardio later when I go for an evening run with my little brother.

Diet was better yesterday, incorporated some fruit into the regime long with regular meals. My dinner of a big homemade curry and rice was perhaps a bit too much but not too much of an issue. Gettin Up and Upper here, Alpha and Out!

FOOD DIARY- B= 4 weetbix, honey and milk. 2 wholemeal toast butter and jam; S= 3 vita wheat; L= 4 vita wheat, banana, roast chicken 2 thick white breadslices; S= apple, coffee w sugar, lrg serve cheese crackers; D= lrg serve mince curry with rice; Xtr= tea, 3 pieces of gum

EXERCISE DIARY- 1hr gym (10min warm-up and stretch, 5 x (5min treadmill, 20 push-ups, ab set (each 5rep)))

2 in A Row!

Notched up the first back to back gym sessions yesterday. This is probaly the first time in at least 4 months that I have been able to stick back to back. Even before then it was rare, so it is quite an achievement. Honestly, skipping the gym yesterday did cross my mind. We were smashed by a heavy storm around mid-afternoon so I would've had to drive. I had a million and one things to do at work that were playing on my mind. Nevertheless I pushed on. Went down to the storage at work where I keep my gym gear. Water had seeped in and soaked my bike shorts which are essential to stop chaffing. But even that didn't stop me. Luckily I had a pair of running shorts that allows everything to breathe and keeps things dry therefore avoiding painfull chaffing. Chucked them on drove to the gym and smashed out a session. Even in the session I was tempted to only do the intervals to say 60 or 80 push-ups but again I pushed through and cracked off the full 100. Even over one day I can feel the strength and ease of the push-ups along with the ab set becoming easier.

Diet was ok, not great but I am still weighed down by contraints for the near future so I can't win them all. Had an ok aside from the diet and exercise. Only OK because I am working against a big deadline 2 weeks away and got severely caught up in a complex working of the companies books. To add to that I ended up not doing any study when I got home, which I will have to rectify tonight. Alpha and Out!

FOOD DIARY- B=bowl of muesli and milk, 2 slice wholemeal toast with honey, tea; S= 1/2 a large salmon omelette, tea; L= 2 thick wholemeal bread with roast chicken; S= 5 cream biscuits, 3 liquorice sticks, 4 sugar lollies; D= sausage, 3 small risoles, med serve veges, lrg serve homemade fried rice, med serve plum pudding, custard; S= 3 liqorice sticks; Xtr= 1 piece gum

EXERCISE DIARY- 1hr gym

Putting a Foot on Solid Ground

Had a solid day yesterday. Not a great tick all boxes kind of day but definately a decent day in a positive direction. I hit the majority of my exercise goals yesterday. I am back in the gym doing a circuit of 5 min cardio- 20 push ups-ab set(each exercise 5 reps) and doing that until I reach 100 push-ups. Hopefully as I regain my fitness I will be able to go longer, faster and harder.

I am also slowly reintroducing some dietary restraint into my daily life. I am attempting to cut down on breakfast and then eat small portions throughout the day. Hopefully I will get another injection of money in the near future and I will be able to launch into a full diet but until then I just have to manage as best as possible.

I am also going to include my "Food Dairy" and "Exercise Diary" as lists in my actual posts-that way I have a record of what I ate on each particular day and will give me a better idea of what works and what doesn't. Alpha and Out!

FOOD DIARY- B= 8 weetbix, milk; S= 2 vita wheat, peanut butter; L=4 vita wheat, 2 thick white bread, chicken, butter; S= 3 vita wheat, 2 thick white bread, tea (with sugar); D= ham, roast chicken, potato salad, waldorf salad,regular lettuce salad, slice lamington cream cake; S= 3 liquorice sticks, 2 jubes, 2 orange lollies, mentos; Xtrs= 5 pieces of gum

EXERCISE DIARY- 1hr gym; 40 min oztag

(pic from http://www.affinitysutton.com/images/stepping%20up%20logo.jpg)

Smashed!

Built up a head of steam last week till Thursday. Was hitting gym or similar exercise, working well, attitude was tops. THe only issue was my car headlights which weren't working. But this was easily solved by riding which was a double plus. All going great on Thursday-worked well, had gone for a decent run with my little brother with very little hamstring tightness, was buggered but jumped on the bike to head home. I was keen as all hell for a decent meal as the run had taken it out of me. Anyway pulled around a corner about a third of the way home. On the wrong side of the path coming straight at me was another cyclist, not speeding but still cracking along at a decent speed.

It was strange we sorted of yelled out, I tried to go one way, he thought I was going the other, there were several other cyclists so I couldn't go one way. In the end we basically maintained our trajectory and had a decent smash. We both jumped up, shaken but everyone in good spirits. Luckily the cyclist he was riding with had several tools and the know-how to fix the problems he saw. We were about to head our seperate ways until I realised that my wheel had warped when we crash and it wouldn't allow the wheel to turn. Quite frustrating. But the other cyclists were good, attempted to fix it but the wheel was really written off. They then rode home a picked me up and dropped me home.

So by the end of the week I was left unable to drive or ride when the sun was down. More tonight catching everyone up to date. Alpha and Out!

(pic from http://www.arthursclipart.org/accidents/accidents/cycle%20crash.gif)

Gettin it On!

No not what your thinking, getting my gym on, getting my exercise on, getting my mind on. Had a great fulfilling day today. Lots of work done, half decent nutrition and finally hit some targets on my weekly exercise plan.

The headlights of my car seem to be very faded so while I drove in this morning I had to get home before dark. But I needed to do work and also have dinner at dads. So to solve this I jumped on the bike to drive me home. Thankfully the weather held out for me on both to and from trips.

Made it back to the gym after a month or so exile. Was absolutely pumped to bust my gut and really smash myself but luckily my head came into gear and prevented that. Don't get me wrong I had a hard session of treadmill sets split by push-ups and sit-ups. I then had another 10 mins of light running and cycling before a good stretch.

Everything finally seems like it is slowly reforming, falling back into space, clearing the future. I think that my "Exercise Train" is forcing that by slowly gaining momentum. This has improved my energy, stress levels and thinking patterns as well as my overall motivation. If anyone gets into a state of mind thats depressed, down, negative or clouded, the cure is very simple. Exercise! Alpha and Out!

(pic from: http://mike.pastor2pastor.org.au/files/2010/08/10a-Running-Coach.jpg)

The Full Circle

Just finished another topsy turvy week. Started off on a rampaging high-Hitting all my goals, gunning through work, maintaining the Uni study I had planned. Then it waned a touch mid week-mainly due to lack of sleep and other pressures-got a lot done but was physically buggered. And then it dropped right out to the point where went home early on Friday and just slept. Now I am right on a gentle high, not raging but just up there. Another week, another full circle of emotions.

Having experienced this same pattern many a time before I believe I still have made process this week. Before, I would hit bottom around Thursday, last week it was Friday and even then it wasn't bottom-bottom. This week I just need to slow down and stretch my "high" across the week. I need my pendulum swinging from 8 to 4 not 11 to 2. Spread it out, Alpha and Out!

(pic=http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/early_childhood/shapes/circle.gif)

Notch It Up

Another day, another notch in my Back to Basics belt. Again despite missing the morning dog walk I was not drawn down into the darkness but merely shrugged it off, did my stretching and moved on. I then jumped on the bike and rode to work, uni and back and then back home. While riding today was not part of my schedule it was done out of financial necessity. And boy do I feel it. 2 days, almost 60kms and two sore legs. I arrived home with extremely sore hamstrings on both legs. This is kind of strange as cycling should be predominantly more stressful on the quads rather than hamstrings. None the less, today's cycle was alright, probably on par with yesterdays ride. I didn't feel much improvement but thats to be expected after only one day and probably the first time in more than a year that I have strung back to back cycling sessions.

I finally feel like I am pulling my self free from the Doom and Gloom and finally see the light on the horizon. Uni is lining up well, exercise is again lining up, even work to a lesser extent is lining up. Just gotta keep the positivity going and not have a crash back down again. But all good at the moment, Boo Yah, Alpha and Out!

Building It!

Action packed day today where I finally had a decent crack at getting everything done. Despite a morning sleep in I made the call to stay home and catch up with Uni work. Cycled into Uni. It was around the middle of the day so was quite hot despite being only spring (need to remember to chuck on some sunscreen soon). Struggled a bit on the bike but definitely felt an improvement from last week. Hopefully I will be able to build this over the next couple of months. A lecture, multi-choice, practical and fixing my essay result later and I was on the bike again. Strong ride home, not gunning it but felt quite good.

Got home late due to my discussions involved in fixing my essay result so had to wolf down some sausages, silver beet and mashed potato. Was going to ride my bike again to Oztag but really felt like driving after the big day and luckily there was some petrol in the tank. Team had a win at Oztag. I played alright, didn't miss too many tags and made sure I rotated through the bench to ensure I didn't twang my hamstring again. Now prepping for some study and stretching to finish a near perfect day. Alpha and Out!

Off With His Hair

Another so-so week comes to a close but with a slight difference. Now I am taking control. Now I am empowered. Now I see the funny side. Now I always smiling. (sorry little of track with the Dark Knight quote) But still I really am just about on the verge of always smiling. I have made the conscious decision to take control. To stop being a victim, to stop feeling sorry for myself. For me it usually comes to a head when I finally shave my hair off. It is a sign I am taking control and getting prepared for some serious work.

I have scheduled my exercise sessions for the next two weeks. I am taking it slow to get back to it. A gentle re association to exercising. That means lots of dog walks, push ups, sit ups and cycling to work. This gentle approach will hopefully ease me into a pattern without pushing myself too hard. I intend to create a new schedule every two weeks as I successfully ramp it up to some full on endurance training and then bring back in weight baring exercise. Man I feel great with two hands on my life now. Alpha and Out!

Lets get ReStarted

I am still trying to pull myself out of limbo from the past month or more. With financial constraints restricting my use of the gym I am attempting to follow a "Back to Basics" routine.

I will aim to hit the following targets-

• Ride to work as many days as possible
• I will aim to do 150 push ups and 150 sit ups per night
• I will start to walk my dog at night in between study

With my grandparents going on holidays for a week I also have another dog to walk, which I will attempt to walk her in the morning. BY following these small but achievable goals I am slowly working my way back into good patterns and ever closer to my Alpha destination.

Pro...Cras...Tin...Ation

Thats right, with the re-commencement of University subject and an upcoming Essay due I again seem to meet up with my old friend....Procrastination. After having a late dinner at Dad's I travelled home fully intent on getting a draft up. I had had a really productive day until then too which was disappointing. I got home, made a cup of tea and head downstairs to my room. In the car ride home I was really pumped up about getting it done. I had some thoughts floating around my head of some of the bad things that I have copped, usually unfairly. But instead of dragging me done, I was in a fiery mood to prove them wrong.

"All it was, was a series of tests..."

" Imagine the look on their face when you see them again as the Alpha..."

"You have the potential to prove them wrong.."

These were some of the thoughts that were flowing through my head. But alas as soon as I got out of the car all that energy slipped out onto the side walk. I ended up saying.."I'll get up at 2am to do it..it'll be fine" But I woke at 3am and decided to remain in bed and watch TV. Was awake but had no drive. That early wake has now left me at work totally flat, mountains of work to do but nothing driving me.

We all have our Ups and Downs. It is about how we push the limits on the Up's and minimise the fall in the Downs. On a more positive note I managed to jump on my bike and rode to work today. It is the first time since I've been trying to ride to work every day that I have done it twice in a week. I can definitely feel things building again just in a little divot. Tomorrow will be a better day. Alpha and Out!

(image from http://aredbench.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/procrastination-cartoon.jpg)