I'm a Finalist....

So I entered a competition.

I didn't think much of my chances, so I popped a little story about me and my last couple of years of heaven on earth (not). Then I thought nothing of it.

Out of all the entrants, they narrowed it to six very deserving mummas. (All mummas are deserving). I am one of them.

I had to do a panel interview and get asked LOTS of questions bout weaknesses and dreams and goals and how my friends would describe me and the support networks around me etc.

This competetion is like a dream come true. A second chance after making a huge mistake.

Its a 'mummy to yummy' package worth thousands of dollars for a six month total transformation.

My vision of the result would be a fit, lean, toned, happy and healthy woman with a new outlook on diet and exercise and how vital it is to wellness and life. I already know a bit, but I'm keen for more.

It includes personal training, life coaching, nurtition consultations, massage and other things, and is finished off with a full makeover, clothing, a photoshoot and article for a magazine.

I find out on the weekend coming.

I'm trying to not get too excited so I won't get disappointed if I'm not successful.

This would just be the icing on the cake to years of effort after getting up to almost 100kg a few years back. I'm hopeful it would right the mistakes in my body that I haven't yet corrected.

It will be hard work, an emotional journey as much as physical and spiritual- and I will have to rely on people for help with my poppets, but I am so keen.

Here's hoping!! If I win, I promise to blog about it, although there will be other things I have to do (like weekly video updates etc).

Good times. (What have I got myself in for!!!?)

Fit and food low down - check in

I have lost 6kg! Oh my! I am surprised.

This week another 1.4kg bit the dust..... dun dun dun.... another one bites the dust (hehe)

I went for 2 good walks and tried to up my exercise in general. I've had several appointments in the mornings which have interfered with my goal of walking every week day.

I still want to get to that goal.

I am stoked to see the scales going down as I started to wonder why it seemed progress has slowed. I added the extra exercise and it has helped.

I even had a small helping of icecream one night and this didn't interfere. Several weeks in I always remember why I love eating so well, my body feels so alive. I feel thin on the inside (the outside still has to catch up) and just strong and healthy.

Anyway I still have 8kg to be at my first goal but I want to go about 3kg less than that. So 10-11kg to go!

Getting there! Hopefully a couple of months will see me much closer to my goal.

So there you have it. I could start my own 'arnaharrisbikinibodychallenge' hehehe snicker snicker.

Ps. I do NOT have a bikini body even in the slightest ;-)

Life's little indulgences

I did it. I went for my first decent walk in a LONG while yesterday...

In the heat of the sun, wondering if I'd get sunburnt, pushing my boys and thoroughly enjoying it.

I always get that exercise optimism, like 'oh I could set my alarm for 6am and go every morning before the kids wake up!!' but I'm sure the optimism would drown with the 6am alarm. Besides I am getting up in the night so I should cut myself some slack ;-)

I'm hoping to go most weekdays. We'll see whether that develops into a new habit.

Alas here are a few pics from my place...

Saturday night picnics and play at the park

 

 

a wee indulgence

 

vacuum cleaner fun.  It was funnier when Mr A was sucking his lips into the vacuum!

 

my cheeky faced little man

 

one word #lattesonthedeck and another #addictedtocoffee

 

I'd just finished my walk... this is my surprised face.  See the 'glow' hehehe

 

Spontaneous hand holds

 

Strong necks from a boy who has JUST about outgrown NB size!!

 

good fun!

 

 

My food and fit low down

Christmas has come and gone, and here we find ourselves halfway through the first month of 2013. 2013!!! I don't think I ever dreamed as a child what I might do in 2013.

With the newyear, and aided by recently giving birth, I find myself a few kgs heavier than I should be and need to be. Quite a few.

So I'm back on the wagon of a slightly modified low-carb/low gi diet. I break the regular rules, like I still drink coffee and I still have cream and brown sugar on my oatmeal each morning. I even often have a cream and berries snack at night when the kids are in bed.

But what I do works. Its modified because I am breast-feeding, so I have to think about the nutrition of Mr E too. Otherwise I would b more intense.

So I had about 15kg to lose and I've shed 3. Hopefully mid year I will reach my goal. Anything under 70kg will be good for now, I think then I will fit most of my clothes.

The thing I find hard, is fitting in the time to exercise... I mean, how do you do it with 3 kids 3 and under? Maybe if I get up super early but that's laughable at the moment. Night is out cause thats feed feed feed time for bubs. I wish I had a treadmill!!

Anyway, that's the little challenge I face and I'm going to try to fit in a decent walk at least 3 days a week by the end of this month. I could try the #mileaday which the beautiful paisleyjade does...  search it on instagram.

For now I'll leave you with that, a good walk 3 times a week by 31 january. Its not a resolution, its a return to health and being fit after a rocky pregnancy, an emergency cesar and followed by a traumatic couple of months.

Will post in how im getting on ;-)

what not to do......

when you start running.... here's my list compiled of what NOT to do

1. set out at 8.30am, when the traffic is busy and all the bored motorists waiting in queue have no better scenery than you in your running clothes...
2. leave less than 30 minutes after breakfast, meaning you feel like heaving about 2/3's of the way through
3. notice that there is A LOT of traffic, and not wanting to interrupt your podcast running/walking times, proceed to run down the busiest road in your city on a weekday morning
4. breathe in all the lovely fresh diesel and petrol fumes from all that traffic
5. get to the bottom of the hill, then realise that you now have to make it up some hill nearby as a part of your run (because you don't want to overdo it when you're just starting out)
6. decide that to make your run exciting (and to avoid the zillions of passing by motorists staring at you) that you will not run back up the hill you just came down...
7. Notice that the ONLY hill nearby is the steepest hill in your locality, and maybe even your city
8. Take two kids in a double mountain buggy, up the steepest hill in your locality

Yip, that pretty much sums it up.  I completed my first run today.  I feel great for achieving it, and hopefully next time, I will know exactly what NOT to do....

Running..... how's that working for you?

haha.  I've just read this great book on parenting.  It is one of THE best books I have ever read on the subject - and I am quite a reader.

The guy has this quote that he uses, at the most hilarious times - "How's that working for you?"  like say his kids are brawling and one comes in sobbing for a sympathy vote - in discussion he says, and what could you do to your brother?  son says "punch him," dad replies "and how's that working for you?"

It sounds a bit crazy - you'll have to read the book ;-)

Anyway, I was meant to begin the great running game last week.  Notice I said meant to.  Because I didn't.

I have lots of reasons, but really they are all excuses.

BUT.
I didn't get the podcasts loaded onto my iPod until Tuesday.  Then on Tuesday, I thought my princess Adelaide had broken her wrist.  I spent Tuesday and Wednesday doing EVERYTHING for her (as well as a couple of trips to white cross etc).  Then it was Thursday.  It rained.  Anyway, the rest of the week flew past. I have been eating terribly for about 2 weeks, which does not motivate me to run in any sort.  As in, I don't normally eat bread, and I myself have probably consumed 2 loaves in the last 2 weeks.... not to mention the icecream, caramel everything and so on.  You'd think I'm pregnant.  And, I'm not.  hehe.

So, I am pondering a 30 day challenge coming up soon.  Anyway, I am inevitably going to try and start the running this week.  It just happens that the podcasts that I managed to load go from couch to 5k in 8 weeks instead of 9.  So I will still reach my goal when I wanted to - provided I actually begin this week!

Now I just need to switch off my desperate cravings for baking & eating it all!

More on succeeding at that some other time......

still a battle everyday!  don't want to live that way forever!  hey food, I'm supposed to rule over you.  So help me God!  ;-)

xx

Let the running begin.....

So I bought me one of these....

A second hand one. 16gb, original generation.  Old, but it will do the job.  New for me.

It's quite nifty.  No camera, but connects to WIFI.  With a quick, cheap software update it can run apps and games and a whole lot of other cool stuff.  It can almost do anything... except for fly me to the moon.

I lost my old ipod in our move.  I actually cried, I was really upset as it was a gift and quite precious to me.  I don't hang on much to stuff, but replacing it was quite a task, which I guess, is why I was so sad.

But my new one is great.  I paid virtually the same as the original one cost.  (the original was second hand too).  It arrived and I loaded everything on, a few hours later I was making my first attempt at actually listening to a video on it - to find that the sound wouldn't work.  After a few investigations, I discovered that the input for the headphones/speakers was faulty  :'(  I was really discouraged and upset again because of thinking about having to deal with the company in Auckland that I purchased it from etc.

I figured out that I could hear it if the headphones were 1/2 plugged into the jack.  But it was very quiet and the volume adjustment made no difference to the sound levels.

But a brief thought popped into my head to pray for it.  I have what I call "weird" faith.  Like, I can believe for stuff like this to get fixed, but I struggle to believe for provisions of basic necessities!!!?  crazy.  Anyway, I didn't even really pray.  Just thought it.

Next thing, it's blasting in my ear so loud that I jumped & shrieked.  Then I heard nothing.  I resorted to that it was properly broken now.  Then I had a thought that perhaps it would work if I put the headphone jack in properly, and sure enough, now it is working A-OK!  Don't you love it!?  Someone else traded it in because it was faulty, and here I am with this cool blessing, that is working just fine!  He makes me laugh out loud - literally.

Anyway, I want to start up a couch to 5k running programme.  Losing my ipod put a spanner in the works, so getting a new one means I have to start it now - right!?

The trick is, you listen to these podcasts that have portions of walking music and running music that alternates... beginning on easy for the first week and increasing the running times/decreasing walking times as you go on.  You have to dedicate 3 x 1/2 hour slots per week to it - and in 9 weeks, I should be able to run roughly 5km in 30 minutes.  I'm not sure about being able to dedicate the time necessary, but I'm going to try.  I really want to get fit - I am so unfit it's ridiculous and it's time I sort that part of my life out.

So its me, couch to 5k in 9 weeks.  I'm starting Monday. 21 February.  Which means, all going ok, sometime around 23 April I should be able to do a 5k run non stop.  Eeeek sounds impossible right now, but I'm going to give it a shot!  Hopefully it will help me tone up a bit too!

I'll report in on it, maybe once a week.

Happy weekend all!  x

I ♥ autumn....

First I must apologise for the some weeks in between my last post and this...

I have been deeply overwhelmed with compassion by the devastating earthquake in our Nation, that I haven't been able to think of much to say.

My life seems all a little trivial when faced with such a catastrophe.

I encourage you all to pray for Christchurch, and give however you can - lets not forget in the wake of more recent news pouring in - because those people are still broken and hurting.

Thank God that He alone can put them back together.



I am really LOVING this cooler weather we are having.  I secretly love the cool mornings and evenings - and I love them even more while pregnant.  I have even been getting into exercise again now that it is not scorching in the middle of the day!

The thing I love the most about autumn though - is the beauty.  The streets around our neighbourhood are lined with maple trees.  In autumn, they are magnificent.



It is not too cold that you can still get outside, breathe the fresh, crisp air, and take in the wonder of this amazing world.  The colours of the trees, their fallen leaves crunching under your feet.  The warm sun, just right.

Hope you find a little bit of time in your busy life to do - well, just that!



And I love scarfs, hats, warm jackets and slippers!  And dressing my little lady in them!

Enjoy... x

Day 30! Thinking of detoxing...!

Well, I made it.  The month has been filled with challenges.  Here are some points of interest:

• I feel about 100% fitter than when I started


• I am about 3kg lighter


• I've lost around 16-20cm altogether


• I did not stick to my diet plan the whole 30 days


• Two of the weekends I was away and ate bad

My basic method for dieting is a fairly simple "low carb" diet.  Low carb diets have taken some flack over the years, but I am well researched, and they make sense to me.  I am not a freak and I still eat fruit and veges etc.  I restrict all processed sugars and flours.  The only other things I don't really eat are potatoes and bananas.

I surprise myself (and others) with how little I actually "NEED" to eat, when I am eating quality foods, and small amounts of protein in each meal.

I have been feeling healthy and lean.  Since the weekend and our time in the City, I have been eating quite badly.  I mean, sugar, flour, bread, potato, mcdonalds - that kind of bad.  (lucky I'm an honest person!).  I actually feel really sick, I'm bloated, nauseated, light headed, lethargic, tired and feeling generally sick.  It goes to show what healthy eating does.

So back to business tomorrow I think.

I am still after a much bigger personal victory with this - cause my unhealthy eating just shows that given the right circumstances, my humanity is unreliable in making good food choices.  I LONG to be healthy and fit - for the rest of my life... so this journey is not over.

I'm thinking about doing a detox next week.... any ideas on a suitable one?  And don't worry, I'm pondering a new health and fitness goal.

To be continued...

Day 20/30 - its going too fast!!!

We went away in the weekend, and I indulged, during about 3 meals...  how I've missed my sweets.  But I'm over the need to indulge, and back on track today!

Here are the stats....
I am rowing between 35 and 41 minutes now. Feeling fitter. Still need to test it out with a run.

I am getting closer to my goal, and am officially (for the first time in our whole relationship) lighter than my hubby.  I also have visible abs.  Yes, I do folks!! haha.  Not that I'm toned....

So, with 10 days to go, the goal is nearer!!  I want to continue on past the 30 day mark, heading for the tri - so will set myself challenge after challenge.

More interesting posts coming tomorrow..... x

Day 9/30

So, for the official update - today is day 9 of my 30 day challenge.  I feel fantastic!

[caption id="attachment_121" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="I'm surprising myself! haha"][/caption]

I have taken to a small notebook, left on my kitchen bench - for anyone to peruse at any given time (especially the hubby).  I write down each food item that passes my lips through the day.

Want to know what - IT WORKS!!!!

I don't even think about eating one biscuit (let alone 5) - because I know I will have to write it down - and then anyone in my house, or visitors, could read it at any given time.  Aha!!  I think I have found a way to make the goal easier to achieve.

I have rowed 4 times - I'm rowing around 35 minutes straight now.  I cycled 10km the other night - WAS AWESOME! 

I do a weekly weigh, and measure the basic points, bust, waist, tummy, hips, butt, thighs & arms.  Everything is smaller.  It is amazing that my arms are - because they've been the thing I struggle to shift fat from - so to be different in a week is awesome!

I have lost weight, fairly quickly - but I know that a decent amount of it was fluid.  So, have 21 days to go, and around 4kg. hmmmmm.

I've also decided I will join my lovely friend Jacksta-B in training for the tri-woman coming up in Auckland in April.... check her out here http://jacksta-b.blogspot.com/2010/10/ive-gone-and-done-it-now.html.

That is, provided I am not expecting no. 2 by then.  Yes, that time has come.

Perhaps I'm turning into one of these people my father nicknamed "psychologically disturbed" - when we watched them as a kid sweating it out in the hot summer sun for miles and miles. ;-)

Might try a run one of these days....

'Moments' I'm totally digging!

Ok, I'm totally digging a few things right about now....  so I'm just taking a "moment" to appreciate life....

 

[caption id="attachment_99" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="our baby birds, are learning to fly!"][/caption]

Our lawn is really long at the moment (thanks to a broken lawn-mower) - but there is a carpet of gorgeous yellow dandelions!!  How I love spring!



This fine piece of fitness equipment....

[caption id="attachment_101" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="mmmmm hmmmm, my rowing machine"][/caption]

By the way - today is day 6 - did 35 minutes of rowing plus some core exercises.  See here http://arnaliseharris.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/my-30-day-challenge/ if you don't know what I'm talking about.

The aftermath - from special moments, with a special group of young people - where their lives were changed forever....

 

And learning... (well trying to) the art of photography....

[caption id="attachment_105" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Just dawn...... at the youth camp"][/caption]

 

My 30 day CHALLENGE!

I had a few personal goals for this year.  Very few.  I'm learning how to not expect too much of myself.  That should probably be one of them.

The list pretty much looked like this:

• stop breast-feeding


• lose weight


• get fit


• live a healthy lifestyle

Now this is a challenge for me.  Eating is probably my greatest weakness.  I eat when I'm stressed, depressed, bored etc.  Oh to be a mum at home with a new baby... haha.  I just like eating.  Over the previous 5 years, the stresses I had been under meant I ate - and put on nearly 40kg.  I lost 20kg before I fell pregnant...

I don't like these pictures - I'm just proving a point

[caption id="attachment_92" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="pretty much at my biggest"][/caption]

I want to live well, set a good example, and when I'm done with kids and they've all moved out - I want to be fit and healthy and able to live out the dreams I have for then.

So - stop breast feeding - check.  Lose weight - check - about 15kgs of it.  (step 1 - admit I have a problem and am the only one who can change it).  Get fit....uhhhh... live a healthy lifestyle.... uhhhh....

I'm not quite done with the losing weight, but MOTIVATION has seriously lapsed lately.  With it coming into party season, our anniversary and both birthdays in one month - makes for a month of goodies.  I went to the gym for a bit, but carting miss 1 to a babysitter, gym then going back made it take almost 3 hours.  To do that 3 x a week? NO WAY!

[caption id="attachment_93" align="alignnone" width="225" caption="just a couple of weeks ago"][/caption]

My delightful in-laws see my desperation of wanting to exercise, but having a busy 1 year old who is rather determined beyond her years.  And, they see their son, skinny, but a nice round POT forming on his front.

Birthday = NEW ROWING MACHINE!! I like.

So, now that the "party month" is over, I set myself a new goal.  I call it - the "30 day challenge".  I have a month.

Goal = get fit, and lose AS MUCH of the remainder of the weight that I can.  And hopefully tone up pretty much my whole body the "problem areas".

I still struggle with my eating - and I can help myself - but I don't really have the power to change me.  God does - so I've been asking Him for victory.  And I KNOW He is going to give it to me.

I will check in to say how I'm going.  Day 2 - I'm feeling good and have rowed both days.  Might need a rest tomorrow.

[caption id="attachment_94" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="My AWESOME friend Kristy and I... enjoying a special moment together"][/caption]

 

You can read about that amazing lady above - here http://www.paisleyjade.com/