MEDITATE AND CONTEMPLATE

Hey there kids!
Well, it’s new year’s eve day here and I’d have to say the wet season has well and truly started! This is good in one sense because it keeps things a bit cooler, but it sucks when you don’t have a dryer and piles of laundry to do! We are probably going to get a dryer today-and we are actively looking for a new property so hopefully will be moving soon anyway-cross your fingers for me folks!

So, on my wet walk this morning, I started thinking about all the people that are going to start their “new life” tomorrow, but for tonight will be making some of their worst choices of the year. So I’m thinking-anyone going out for the celebrations (or even staying at home to indulge), maybe if you just stop for a moment before you start and really have a think.

Take a deep breath and think back to a time that you went off the deep end and ate and drank like there was no tomorrow. Really think about it; how did you feel the next day? Head ached, stomach heaving, thirsty, exhausted because you got no sleep, maybe you were even draped over the toilet. Many of us have been there…I’ve been there-more than once! Did you look in the mirror? I mean really look hard…I did-face is pasty and green, eyes bloodshot, bags under your eyes, lips bright, scary red-YUCK! It is so not pretty people, it’s downright ugly!

Now, take another deep breath and imagine waking up tomorrow morning feeling completely rested and full of energy. You drank only a couple of alcoholic drinks-and made them last so that you actually enjoyed them, you stopped eating when you were full, you were able to drive everyone home safely-no tickets, no crashes. You feel in control and you have the power to achieve what you want. This is how you should start the new year people in control with power! Just imagine how that would feel! It sure sounds much more appealing to me then the first scenario.

Though I’m mainly focusing on alcohol here, the same applies for over indulging in food as well. You eat too much you feel like s**t! You can wake up with a hangover from too much crap food just as well as from too much alcohol. It’s all bad. So either way, enjoy yourselves, but remember;
It’s all up to you-you are in control and you have the power!
Happy New Year-see you next year!!!

WHAT ABOUT THE OBESITY CRISIS?

Hello kids!

You know, looking at the news this week, as we go into the New Year, I see the economic crisis is still the top of the head lines. Now as important as this is, I have to ask myself, why has the bloody obesity crisis been put on the back burner -why isn’t it in the news every day? The hard cold fact is that today it is estimated that there are more than 300 million obese people world-wide and obesity (BMI of 30 or more) increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions. These include–
• Coronary heart disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon)
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides)
• Stroke
• Liver and Gallbladder disease
• Sleep apnea and respiratory problems
• Osteoarthritis (a degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint)
• Gynecological problems (abnormal menses, infertility)

Another cold hard fact is-due to these conditions-it’s costing us a fortune! So, really the economic crisis and the obesity crisis are intertwined. If you don’t have money AND you don’t have your health-you get screwed twice-and you don’t enjoy it!

OBESITY costs Australians about $21 billion a year and costs Americans about $93 billion a year.
Here are some quick US numbers I pulled from the Forbes website…

Missed Work
Cost: Up to $800 per person
Obese workers miss more days of work than those who have kept a normal weight. On average, people miss about three days of work per year. But obese men miss five, and obese women in the heaviest body mass category miss eight days of work.
Source: Eric Finkelstein

Jet Fuel
Cost: $275 million
The extra poundage packed on by the average American in the last decade required airplanes to use an extra 350 million gallons of fuel, according to an analysis by researchers at Cornell University.
Source: Dannenberg et al, American Journal of Preventative Medicine

Fast food-
7.72 per meal
On average, getting a value meal at a fast-food restaurant costs 67 cents--an apparent bargain. But eating that meal comes with its own costs. For a man who is already obese, the extra calories will mean he spends 5 cents extra on gasoline that year, an extra 36 cents on food in the future because of the weight he gained, and an extra $6.64 in annual health care costs.
Source: Close and Schoeller, Journal of the American College of Nutrition

Red Ink
Cost Of Obesity To A 1,000 Person Firm: $285,000
When added up, the costs of paying for obesity-related health care and worker sick days add up quickly--totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars for a 1,000 person business.
Source: Eric Finkelstein

Your Pocket
Tax Bill: $180 per year
About half of the total cost of obesity-related health care, or about $45 billion, is paid by the government through its Medicare program, which covers senior citizens, or Medicaid, which helps the poor. For every American citizen, the out-of-pocket tax cost is an average $180.
Source: Eric Finkelstein

Obesity is associated with a 36% increase in inpatient and outpatient expenditures and a 77% increase in medication costs than people falling within a normal weight range, while current smokers see increases of only 21% for services and 28% for medications over those of non-smokers, and problem drinkers see an even lesser effect for both. Meanwhile, aging from 30 to 50 is associated with a 20% hike in service costs, but a 105% increase in medication costs. (from the RAND website)

"Obesity appears to have a stronger association with the occurrence of chronic medical conditions, reduced physical health-related quality of life, and increased health care and medication expenditures than smoking or problem drinking. Only 20 years aging has similarly-sized effects," declared author Roland Sturm, a RAND economist.

I could go on and on-but I think you get the point…If you’re not planning on making any healthy changes to look good or feel good-maybe the fact that it also hits the bank account will help you to see the light.

And I'm not trying to pick on anyone either-these are just facts-obesity is not healthy-and not healthy means lots of health problems. Yes, it's your life-but why would you want to set yourself up for all that misery on purpose?

OK-enough ranting-just think about it!

HAVE YOU STARTED YET?

Hello Campers!
What are you waiting for? Why wait until January 1 to make those healthy changes? Today is a perfect day to start; you know why? Because today is always the first day of the rest of your life-so why wait?!

You’re thinking “but then I can’t eat and drink like crazy on New Year’s Eve”…But you should be thinking-“I will eat and drink WELL on New Year’s Eve and feel fabulous and ready to tackle the world on New Year’s Day!” Just imagine having the power and control over your own actions….you have it, I know you do!

So get on with it people-whatever healthy plans you have for the New Year-do it now…if that means starting a daily walk-DO IT! If that means cleaning out the cupboard and getting rid of the food that’s making you fat-DO IT!

We are going to start this New Year feeling good!

Now why are you still sitting there?!

ALL FIRED UP!!

Oh yeah kids! I am so revved and ready for 2009, I’m simply bursting at the seams! Hubby and I have some plans and you’ll just have to watch this space for the changes as they come!

First off, as promised stats…..

Here is where I was at 1 week before my comp (20 Sept 2008)…
Tri-6mm
Subscap-5.5mm
Supra-9.5
Abs-9.5
Thigh-10
= 12.63% bodyfat

Weight-51.5k

Here is where I am at today…(YIKES!)
Tri-7
Sub-7
Supra-20
Abs-23
Thigh-16
=19.04% bodyfat
Weight 54.5

Operation CLEAN, LEAN & MEAN 2009 is in full swing! And after looking at those stats it's a damn good thing!

Ramen has been completely removed!
Salt has been considerably reduced!
Carbs, protein and fats are being balanced!
Cardio has been upped to 40 minutes each day!
We are on the move kiddies!

Now, I’m not going for the one week from comp body….I’m not even aiming for any comp right now; however, I simply want to take this bloat off-and maintain it. And that’s what I’m going to do! Get the weight at about 52.5k and bodyfat around 15%...YUP!

So-along with that-hubby and I have some fab plans to utilize our personal training certifications-2009 is just the beginning people!
Stay tuned!

Madness or Dedication...you be the judge!

Hope everyone is recovered from their Christmas blow out-LOL!

Our days were very quiet-so-no big splurges here ;-)

Well, even though I'm taking a welcome but forced break from the gym (due to it being closed!), I'm still walking-and our tropical hot clear blue skies just turned into monsoon today...
This is what happens when you walk in the rain in the tropics...


You end up looking like a drowned rat!
But hey, when a gals on operation CLEAN, LEAN AND MEAN for the New Year-a gals gotta do what a gals gotta do-right?!
I gotta tell you...I haven't felt this energized in ages! The rain really can be invigourating!

So-rain or shine-I will be out there....in order to get closer to achieving this...

Chrissy in the tropics and the year in review!

Since I keep seeing pics of "white X-mas"-I thought I'd share Far North Queensland Chrissy-It's only fair, right?!

So-here are some pics of our little deck and front yard last night...





Now onto the highlights of 2008!

I had a great trip visiting the family in the states where John actually came for a bit of it...first time in years!











We bought a sailing yacht and went on a 10 day sail with the help of some friends to mover her from Mackay to Cardwell...




I met the fabulous Di, who was my comp coach for my first ever figure comp....


Di's comp in July....

(pic by Dallas Olsen)

And after spending 12 fairly gruelling weeks of diet and with my personal trainer hubby training me.....


I competed in my first ever Figure Comp...placing 3rd...





(comp pics by DALLAS OLSEN)

And of course-have met some great gals online here through blogging!!!
Can't wait to see what next year brings-I'm ready and open!!!

Cheers all!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! and remember.....

“Love yourself — accept yourself — forgive yourself — and be good to yourself, because without you the rest of us are without a source of many wonderful things.”

—Dr. Leonardo Buscaglia (1924-1998); professor, author

Other goals for the new year....

First of all I hope everyone is completely relaxed and non-stressed with the coming holidays-LOL! I know I am-I sent off pressies & cards-and that's about it!
Now-I can't wait to try these out....
The lovely KELLY O was sweet enough to send through this video and these one legged squats are on my list of goals for '09....

Without the weight for starters though-I've got me some tired knees-LOL!

So, I don't have much to add to my list of goals for 2009...But, along with getting back into a fitness mindset (those goals listed in a previous blog), I’ve got a few other changes I’d like to make in the coming year.

1-Don’t rush through everything…I don’t even know why I do rush-I don’t have kids to take care of, a job to go to, rellies to entertain….SLOW DOWN RAECHELLE!

2-Take one full day off from the computer each week…probably Mondays. I had listed in my New Year’s goals for 2008 that I was only going be on the computer a couple of hours each day…that didn’t happen-I’ve discovered I’m a total addict! So, instead-I’m going to not even turn on the computer at all on Mondays!

3-Get involved in something! I started off 2008 being involved with the local Red Cross shop…but found that very unfulfilling. The manager at this local shop is a bit power hungry and doesn’t let the gals do anything-so we get to clean the shop and wait for customers-and that’s about it-we can’t price stuff, sort stuff don’t touch this-don’t move that…hmmmm-I’m a volunteer worker thank you! There aren’t allot of community groups to choose from-but I’m even thinking along the lines of just getting involved in some sort of group thing like joining the rowing club. I went rowing with a gal pal back in 2006-but then started having all of these strange health and body problems. And though I still basically have the same aches and ills-I’m learning to live with them and work around them-so might join the row club again.

4-Find someplace more permanent to live…we have been searching for ages and still nothing quite right has popped up. Since selling our big house which we were running a very small b&b at, we have been living in our little bungalow (on a separate title)…which for us is just a tad too small….it’s perfect for a single person or a hubby & wife that aren’t home together all day long-you know maybe one or both go to work during the day-it’s absolutely perfect for that. And it’s on 100acres of rain forest! (in case anybody’s looking for a TREE CHANGE-hint, hint :D !)

That's pretty much it besides staying in the states for longer this year-I usually go for 3-4 weeks-This year I'm planning a 5 week visit-I miss everyone back home soooo much and just want to spend more quality time rather than rushing around trying to fit everyone in.
So-I think that's it for the added Goals of '09! Not particularly exciting-but attaining and holding any one of these types of bod would be a bonus of course!






Yep-Lean & Mean!
I can dream-right?! Oh-If you can dream it, you can become it...I just wrote that quote 2 days ago-and I'M STICKING TO IT!
have a good one!

Time for some MOTIVATION!

If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it-William Arthur Ward (Back of current Muscle & Fitness-Hers)



Enjoy the rest of your weekend!

You know you haven't stuck to the plan when......

You show someone your comp pics 2 and ½ months afterwards and they look at them and look at you and say “what happened?” and you show them to someone else and they say “ you looked good…it doesn’t even look like you”….hmmmmm…

OK-I didn’t want to stay looking like that…I had planned to gain less than 3 kilos after the comp but instead gained almost 5. I’m sitting on about 54.5k this morning…of course I spent a couple of days on the boat-working and sweating-so, I’ve been holding at closer to 55.

So, what’s the plan?

Funny you should ask….seeing how it’s the perfect time to start a “plan of action”…being so close to New Year’s and all


First in my plan is to take advantage of the 10 days that the local gym is closed and rest my body. I haven't’ taken more than one day off in the last year…even after the comp I only took one day off before getting back at it. So, I’m giving this bod a break-and it needs it. My neck, shoulder and sacro iliac probs have all hit hard with a vengeance…telling me to give it a rest. So that is the first step in my plan. Plus-I’m going to start getting some massages fairly regularly to compliment my monthly chiro cracks. I’ve also added some new yoga moves to my daily stretch routine to try to help combat those aches and pains.


Next in my plan is to start keeping track of my bodyfat on a weekly basis again-I’ll start that on the 28th of December-since Sunday is a good day for it and I don’t want to wait until the 4th of January-we don’t usually do anything for New Years anyway.

I will post my weekly stats here, as so many gals do-It does help to lay it out in print-No?...yes!

Next-I will once again get the ramen out of the house! That really is my biggest nemesis…Asian noodles boiled and drained-then throw in some egg and lots of soy sauce and what do you get-lower belly fat. Yes-really-I kid you not! So-out-out I say! Don’t ask me how I even got addicted to such a strange concoction-it’s just the way it is.

Next is a list I started to compile as sort of a NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS list….

I will incorporate more fruit into my diet
I will build up my bis and shoulders
I will do one full set of 10 reps of pull-ups-unassisted ( I did 7 unassisted 2 weeks ago!)
I will meditate EVERY day (right now it’s 3-4 days a week)-and will reach ½ half hour each day by June…shooting for a full hour by the end of the year.
I will do 3 sets of 10 each leg of one legged squats…..as described by KELLY O in a post a few weeks back...maybe it was a vlog-can't quite remember-but they are the super deep type-sounds very difficult and I'm UP FOR THE CHALLENGE!

My ultimate goal is to get my weight to 52.9k (116lbs) and maintain it there…forever basically. I plan to have it there by March-I think that’s reasonable. It’s only about 4 lbs….2 lbs a month is totally reasonable.
I know some people would say-phht-4 lbs-big deal….but when you are only 5 foot 1…(155cm)-it is a big deal-and I want to fit into the clothes I bought back in August!
So for now, I'll sign off with a few motivational pics of chicks who most likely don't gorge on ramen every day!
Cheers!

More About Salt...

After reading a really good post about salt by KEK I did some more research on salt. For years, my husband and I had been under the assumption that since we sweat so much...(especially in the tropics where after a workout my husband can literally wring out what seems to be a 1/4 of a cup of sweat from his t-shirt!)...that we didn't need to pay much attention to our salt.
Well, that appears to be a very wrong assumption. Here are a few salt myths debunked-straight from the UK's Food Standards Authority website...

I can't be eating too much salt because I don't add it to my food - FALSE
Since 75% of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, such as some breakfast cereals, soups, sauces, ready meals and biscuits, it's easy to eat too much salt without adding any yourself. In fact, one or two servings of some foods could contain more than the recommended daily maximum for adults (6g). See Understanding labels for more information.


Food has no flavour without salt - FALSE
If you're used to foods that are high in salt, or adding lots of salt to your food, you could miss it when you first cut down. This is because our taste buds get used to high levels of salt.

But our taste buds can get used to eating less salt in a few weeks and then you're more likely to enjoy food with less salt, or without any salt at all. If a food contains lots of salt this can hide more subtle flavours, so you might prefer some foods with less salt when your taste buds have had time to adjust.

See Salt tips for ideas on ways to add flavour without using salt.

You can tell what foods are high in salt because they taste salty - FALSE
Some foods that are high in salt don't taste very salty. Sometimes this is because they have lots of sugar in them, for example some biscuits and breakfast cereals.

Also, our taste buds get used to high levels of salt, so you might not notice the saltiness of some foods. When people get used to eating less salt their taste buds become more sensitive. So sometimes when they eat a food they used to eat all the time, they are surprised to find how salty it tastes.

Only old people need to worry about how much salt they eat - FALSE
Eating too much salt can raise your blood pressure at any age. It's true that you have less chance of developing heart disease or stroke in your 20s or 30s than when you're older. But if you have high blood pressure when you're young, you're still at greater risk than someone the same age with normal blood pressure.

Posh salt is better for you than table salt - FALSE
Salt is also known as sodium chloride. It's the sodium in salt that can raise your blood pressure. It doesn't matter how expensive salt is, where it is from, or whether it comes in grains, crystals or flakes - it still contains sodium.

You need more salt in hot climates because you sweat so much - FALSE
We only lose a small amount of salt through sweat, even in extremely hot places. So there's no need to eat more salt in hot climates. But it's important to drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated.

If I cut down on salt my body won't have enough - FALSE
It's actually very difficult to eat too little salt. This is because it's in so many everyday foods, such as breakfast cereals, ready meals, soups, sauces and biscuits. And people in some countries survive on a fraction of the amount of salt eaten by people in the UK.

I would know if I had high blood pressure - FALSE
Many people with high blood pressure have no symptoms, so you can't assume that your blood pressure is normal if you haven't had it tested. In England, a third of people (31.7% of men and 29.5% of women) have high blood pressure.

So, even though we are both in our 40's and still have normal blood pressure...we want to avoid any problems in the future-so are now watching our salt intake...which is easier said than done. When we started looking at the labels we were floored at the amounts of food in things that are supposed to be nutritious like-tomato juice....590 mg of salt for a mere 200ml glass...and my husband drink about 2 cups of that at a time-that's over 1200mg in one sitting!!! The maximum amount for the day is 6000mg.

Even when a person doesn't eat lots of processed foods-it's difficult to find salt free products-like sugar, it's in everything...cottage cheese, yogurt, milk and juice are just a few. I can't imagine how much a person that doesn't pay attention to their diet would be ingesting in a day!

And people wonder why there is a health crisis in the western world!

Go ahead-check out your food labels-I DARE YOU!!

Proven strategies for getting happy!

In the last few years, psychologists and researchers have been digging up hard data on a question previously left to philosophers: What makes us happy? Researchers like the father-son team Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener, Stanford psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, and ethicist Stephen Post have studied people all over the world to find out how things like money, attitude, culture, memory, health, altruism, and our day-to-day habits affect our well-being. The emerging field of positive psychology is bursting with new findings that suggest your actions can have a significant effect on your happiness and satisfaction with life. Here are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy. CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL ARTICLE

Gut Response

From THE DAILY OM
In Touch With True Emotions
So often, emotions that we long to express get stored in our bodies instead. The space where this most often happens is in our bellies. Rather than telling people, our even ourselves, the way we truly feel, we may stuff our true feelings deep inside of us, where they take up space until we are ready to let them go. Stuffing our feelings in our bellies may feel like the "safe" response, since we then don’t really have to deal with our emotions. Yet, doing so can actually be detrimental to our emotional well-being and physical health.
READ MORE HERE....

COMP STUFF FOR SALE!!!

I just sent off my comp comp outfit, shoes and clip-on hair piece (that I ended up not using), to Jo of STYLE ON STAGE fame to put up on her new site
DIVACONSIGNMENTS.COM


Hopefully those will be on within the next week or 2. It's such a great idea she came up with-total kudos to Jo!

I also have for sale some DVD's....I have the Jenny Lynn DVD "The Harder I Work, The Luckier I Get"...I'm selling for $29

and Tanji Johnson's DVD "The Art of Posing" for $29.


Or both for $45.
Just e-mail me...e-mail is on my profile page.
Cheers all!