May 2009

Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs

Snack: Mandarin

Lunch: Chicken Vegetable Curry

Snack: Nashi

Dinner: Fish & Salad

My diet is now 100% organic. Every thing’s  prepared from scratch so that I know what’s going into the food that I eat. No processed food here. It’s also very much like the paleo diet and something I’m looking further into as it’s not something I’m very familiar with but I will be by the time I’m finished detoxing. I even have to cook lunches in a pyrex bowl instead of glad ware like I normally do due to it being plastic resistant, the less toxins I ingest the better for my detox. Again if I’m going to do this I have to do it properly otherwise it’s a complete waste of time.

I’m happy with the meals and snacks I’ve chosen this week. I’m also going to pick a new food each week, be it a fruit, a salad or vegetable to try and broaden my variety. Nothing ventured nothing gained. This week I’ve chosen nashi’s because I’ve always wanted to try them. I love apples and pears so can’t see why I wouldn’t enjoy them also. I’ll find out soon enough though won’t I. LOL!!

So here’s to a new beginning and happier and healthier life for me from this point forward.

If you want to know more about this week’s menu feel free to leave me a comment and I’ll happily answer them for you. Until tomorrow….

Lia xxx

“Whoever is happy will make others happy too.”
~ Anne Frank

Life as I know it is about to come to an end WEF TOMORROW.

Yep tomorrow is the first day of my Metagenics Detox. Friday & Saturday were my first two of three colonic irrigation’s to help get things started. I also went to Vic Markets for my organic shopping and then Evelyn Faye for the last of my supplements, so now I’m all stocked up and ready to go. Tomorrow I’ll be posting up this weeks menu so you can see what I’m eating for the next five days. It’s 100% all of the time for the next six weeks straight and then just like comp prep I have to slowly re-introduce food groups back into my diet and depending on my reaction to them whether or not they stay or go for good.

I’m anxious and excited all at the same time as I’ve never detoxed before. In actual fact other than bodybuilding I’ve never been one of those girls that dieted on this that or the other so this is all new to me. Only this time around it’s not for my weight loss but for my health so the positives out way the negatives. I’m approaching this detox with a can do attitude because it’s all about choice and I’ve chosen to do this. I have no doubt the first couple of weeks will be very challenging whilst my body flushes out all the toxins and my taste buds re-set themselves so I just have to hang in there and stay focused. Unlike my comp diets there is no flexibility, it’s 100% all the time for the entire six weeks so that’ll also be something new to me. It’ll be a toughie but I’m ready for the challenge. After all, what doesn’t kill me will only make me stronger and I believe that more than ever now.

This entire detox program has been custom designed for me and my health issues so that’s also exciting. I can’t wait to get to the other side of it because the thought of feeling and looking healthy is something I’ve so longed for. I no longer think of it as an urban myth and now it’s within my reach. So for the next six weeks I’m locking myself down and not committing myself to anything other than this detox. I want to remain 100% focused and not allow myself to get distracted by social gatherings to give myself and my body every single possible chance of success. This is to important to me, my health and well being is to important to me not to take this completely seriously.

So starting tomorrow I’ll be posting all about my experience amongst other things. If you have questions feel free to ask, it’s the only way we learn.

“You may have a fabulous body, yet find yourself avoiding social situations. Sure you’d love to show people how great you look, but you’re afraid they aren’t going to like one of the side effects of the same clean diet that keeps you looking so good.

It’s gas, and we’ve all experienced the bloating, tummy aches, or worse yet — embarrassment that comes along with it.

Even in a crowded bar or at a festival, it’ll be pretty clear to those around you that you’re the one who “let it out,” after all, it’ll follow your group wherever you go! And yes, you can do your best to storm off to the lady’s room if you feel it coming on, but sometimes there just isn’t a warning sign, when poof… a burst of not-so-fresh air.

Gas, or “hiney-burps” as my mom’s friend so aptly calls it, happens to everyone. In fact, according to the National Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse (part of the National Institutes of Health), people produce one to four pints of gas every 24 hours! This air’s eliminated by either burping or, well, passing gas — which we do about fourteen times per day. That’s right, fourteen times each day!

Here’s another interesting fact: Gas is primarily made of odorless vapors! It can turn stinky as it passes through our rectum and the bacteria in the large intestine release small amounts of gases containing sulfur. It’s this sulfur that stinks.

Anyone who’s been to watch the wonderful geysers at Yellowstone National Park knows this all too well. Yes, they’re picturesque, but when they release sulfur gas, they smell like Godzilla farted. So bad, in fact, that my eyes stung and I had to take cover after just a short while of being there! But I digress.” ~ Marie Spano, MS, RD, FISSN, CSCS

Read More….

Jacqui Louder my trusted Sports Psychologist constantly reinforces that life is not just black or white. That as an athlete I have to be able to exist in the varying shades of grey and although at first it was a difficult transition little by little I’m getting there. In order to change and grow you have to have the psychological capacity and willingness to step outside the box if you want to move forward and succeed.

Lets take me for example for a minute. I could’ve if I’d chosen gone ahead with comp prep this year but instead I chose not to. Now the old me would’ve just soldiered on, sucked it up and got on with it irrespective of how I was feeling or even the pain factor involved. Hell I’ve even been known for having to take a hefty dose of valium to ensure I actually rested after injuring my back dead lifting otherwise I was heading straight back into the gym the next day as I was four weeks out from my very first competition. I wasn’t task focused much back then now was I. LOL!! This time around I swallowed my pride and listened to myself and those around me who I trust with my life to do what needed to be done for the good of my health. I’ve competed with injuries and even borderline emaciated and don’t ever want to go back there again. I’m now more educated and more knowledgeable so can make informed decisions that I know are in my best and long term interest. They may not fit my chosen time frame or intentions for competing but that’s not the point here, the point is accepting that there are no black or white situations just varying different shades of grey. It’s taken me a long time to get here but now I’m here although not completely comfortable I know this is a better place to live in.

The all or nothing continuum often talked about can only go on for so long before we either burn out or break or both. Sooner or later we have to let go and accept that we’re not living in a perfect world so striving to perfection is not only unrealistic but also unhealthy. We have to accept that as long as we do our very best we can given our current circumstances that’s all we can expect from ourselves, it is that simple. We use excuses like “but you don’t understand my circumstances” or “but I’m really busy” or “I don’t have time”. I know, I’ve used them all. But what we’re really saying and what I’m hearing is “I don’t want too”. If you can listen to yourself, and I mean really listen to your self then maybe you could let go of the black and white world and learn to live in the grey too.

So by putting my bodybuilding goals on hold may seem like a huge change in direction and don’t get me wrong it is but it’s not one without a lot merit. You all know me by now that I don’t care what people think of me and my decisions because it’s something out of my control. People judge, it happens and usually behind our backs because most people don’t have the courage to come forward with their thoughts and even if they do it doesn’t matter because they are just that, their thoughts. Nothing much phases me these days and I’m more and more comfortable with change, I’ve had to be give the past year. Letting go can be very invigorating and when I progress through this healing stage I have no doubt what so ever that I’ll be returning to the gym and stage with vengeance.