Getting Back into Exercise

I’ve learned this from my many, many house/area moves: it takes me about 6 months to get settled properly. I mean, I smash out the actual move like a machine (I’m talking 2 days to be completely set up) but it takes time to settle into a new area. Things like finding where you like to grocery shop, coffee, different routes to school, where to post letters, a support network, hairdresser and a doctor (it’s so hard to find a brilliant GP!) take time. It’s always around the six month mark that I start to get myself together. One thing that I struggle with is finding an exercise routine when I’ve moved area. Routine is one of the best things when it comes to making time for exercise and changing routine one of the worst.

After being settled now for over 6 months, I’ve finally established a fitness routine. Same thing happened last yer when I moved to New Zealand: first 6 months I couldn’t get into a groove bt the last 6 months I found it, then I moved again to start the process again. At the star of the year, I tried to set things in place so I didn’t lose momentum, and while I still moved (walking/running on and off) I have learned to just be what I need to be — be realistic — knowing it will click when I’ve done the other leg work required in settling a family. It happens. And when it does happen, it’s sustainable because it’s done right. The good thing for me this time is we should be staying put in this area now hopefully long term. First time this has happened to me in my adult life!

I’ve started doing Crossfit (which I wasn’t sure about but the people I train with are fabulous and it was close by) and I’ve also started running as part of the Run India challenge. I’ve committed to run 15 kilometres a week with Run India to raise money and awareness for the World Vision are doing in India which I have seen in the field myself. If you can support me in this, head over to my fundraising page here. It’s amazing what you can achieve when you set a goal, and it feels good to be running consistently again. I tend to run in the afternoons after I get the kids from school. They ride their bikes and I run.

Endurance runner Samantha Gash is in India right now running across the country and here are highlights of part 1 of the journey.

Another thing that slips when I don’t exercise is my eating habits. It’s like a slow fade that I don’t mean to happen. Exercising is key for me in eating well; they both go hand in hand. I have found in the past (and you can read about my other 12 week challenge here) that it can help to do a food diary for a period to be more accountable so I’m doing that for the next bit until I’ve refined a bit of a system.

Monday

Breakfast: porridge

Lunch: grape tomato omelette & kale salad

Snack: banana with coconut, natural yoghurt & sunflower seeds

Dinner: brown rice & beef stir fry

Exercise: 1 hour crossfit (am) + 3k run (pm) for Run India 

 

Tuesday

 Breakfast: (on the run) banana

Lunch: sweet potato, avocado & spinach salad

Snack: fruit, nut & seeds + crackers

Dinner: spinach & fega stuffed chicken, rainbow mash & spinach side

Exercise: 10 minute walk (am) + 3 km run (pm) for Run India

Wednesday

Breakfast: porridge with natural yoghurt & seeds + shot glass or orange juice

Lunch: (on the run) sushi

Snack: kiwifruit 

Dinner: wholemeal pasta, pumpkin cooked in sae butter, spinach, shaved parmesan

Exercise: 1 hr crossfit + walking

Thursday

Breakfast: baked beans & mushroom

Lunch: (meeting) 4 small sushi (still hungry)

2nd Lunch: black bean salad

Snack: soy crackers

Dinner: steak, snow peas & mushroom sauce

Exercise: 1 hr crossfit (am) + 3km run (pm) for Run India

Friday

Breakfast: barley pudding with coconut and strawberry

Lunch: lentil salad medley

Snack: peanut butter filled celery

Dinner: pizza with the family (2 slices)

Exercise: 1 hr crossfit

Saturday

Breakfast: omelette, broccoli, avocado & grilled tomato

Snack: wallnuts

Lunch (late): beef salad

Dinner: (out with a friend) Amazing beetroot radiology from il Locale Italian (great restaurant in Brisbane) + 1 glass wine

Dessert: fondant

Exercise: 2 hours jumping at Bounce with the kids.

Sunday

Breakfast: porridge with sunflower seeds

Lunch: peri peri chicken with kale salad

Snack: apple & handful of popcorn

Dinner: avocado on wholemeal toast

Exercise: rest day but did some walking

Notes

I would like to cut down a little on my diary intake, especially because I drink a lot of coffee too.

Onward.