Monday, 5 December 2011

First Steps

What a beautiful day. I'm so thankful that sunshine is good for health, especially with the weather sitting in the high 20s all week.

I've lost half a kilo through healthy eating in the last week. I also got a two hour massage from my friend Kate, who is studying massage therapy. However I've been a bit slack with walking and skipping. Skipping is affecting my calves, leaving them too tight to walk properly sometimes! I'm hoping I can figure out some way I can do both dancing and skipping without crippling myself.

Also, I only have to submit my extra documents to VTAC this week, and then my application for Endeavour College will be complete! A bit excited =)

Thursday, 1 December 2011

In The Beginning..

So let's just start with a little explanation/update.

My name is Samantha. I'm 22 in a week and a half. I have always been interested in health, fitness and nutrition, but was set back majorly due to illness, and eventually cancer surgery and treatment.

I studied a certificate 3 in fitness, and started my certificate 4, but couldn't continue due to surgery and then the next year, due to treatment. Needless to say I became disillusioned, and sank into depression.

In this depression I gained weight, and spent most of my nights out drinking and partying with 'friends'. About 3 months ago, thanks to living with my mum again, I dragged myself out of the cycle, and now spend my time on more important things.

But many positive things happened over this period in time though. I got myself out of an abusive relationship, I moved out of my other ex boyfriend's place, I applied for a Bachelor of Health Science majoring in nutrition, and I returned to ballroom/latin dancing.

So now I work Thurs-Mon, I go out Saturday nights as long as I can afford it, I spend Wednesdays babysitting my niece and nephew with my mum, and I dance every Wednesday and Friday night.

I have my life balance pretty good now, and I'm happy with how much I work, socialize, and spend time with my family. It's time to turn my focus back to my fitness and health.

So my first goal is to reach 80kg by the time I return to school. It's a pretty easy goal, and I hope to easily surpass it, but I'm starting with small steps.

I will be continuing my dancing twice a week (except for the holiday break), and as my birthday present to myself, I am buying myself a treadmill off a friend who is closing her PT business. I will also be getting a chin up bar, to help strengthen my upper body, particularly my shoulder joint which has damaged muscles after the surgery. Combining the treadmill and chinup bar with dancing, the incidental walking I do, and getting back to doing some skipping every day, will hopefully give me a great kickstart to my journey.

My nutrition is also quite good at the moment. I try to stick to a semi paleo eating plan most days. I eat eggs with garlic spinach and chilli mushrooms for breakfast, and have protein with salad for lunch. I snack on fruit and nuts and seeds at work. I eat what Mum cooks for dinner, but depending on what she makes, I subsitute the carb she has with potato or sweet potato. I'm not overly strict on this plan, but I have found that my energy levels are much better with less carbs.

So, welcome to my journey. It hasn't been an easy one so far, but I've learned so much, and found my calling thanks to it.