How fabulous is exercise for the soul?

I can hardly believe how much I am really enjoying exercising after so many years of not doing anything!

When I dreamed up the concept of the Woman of Spirit Personal Challenge Quest, I was thinking about running a training program to help women transition into work or further study. However, as the day rapidly approached for the Quest, I realised that I needed to start something much closer to home, so I looked at my life and decided to bite the bullet on my weight.

It seems like this year has been a year of taking responsibility for all aspects of my life and my weight is just one of those aspects. I want to be around to be able to chase my grandchildren around, instead of them having to run around the chair I can no longer get out of. I am realising just how important good health is for you to be able to sustain the lifestyle that is enjoyable.

So I started the Commando Kick Butt Challenge, fully recognising that it was going to take a major butt kick to get me moving. Well, I'm pleased to say that I have fallen in love with exercise again and am already realising the benefits of increased fitness. One of these was the satisfaction of beating of my 16 year old students in a running race on the spot. You had to go as hard as you could for as long as you could and I outlasted him by quite a healthy margin. He was puffing and I was hardly even drawing a deep breath. Then there was the stairs that I used to drag myself up but now go up without even feeling the burn.

I am so grateful for the opportunity to work out with Geoff and the girls.

My favourite exercise was the knee lifts into the bag. I loved powering into that pad! It was so much fun. Just love the power of slamming into the bag. Ahhh...satisfaction.

The other great thing about exercising together as a team is that our children are able to come with us and have good habits modeled to them. The children play together on the climbing apparatus and watch us work hard. It's great for them to see us doing that.

What a relief!

I'm not into materialism. In fact, money means nothing to me but a means to an end, so this post is not about materialism at all.

Yesterday I went and purchased a desk. I've been working for two years from home on this...

I do a lot of work from home as I am a Business Trainer and Mentor, but sideline doing graphics, design and layout work. Previously, if you can imagine that tiny little computer desk with a huge computer on it, then you will realise that every time I wanted to put something on the desk, there was no room to do anything. This was especially frustrating when I had a client with me and I needed room for them to put their coffee cup down, as it caused unnecessary accidents.

So after I received a good payment for a particular job, I decided that was it. I was going to do something positive about the desk need! So I purchased two parts - a main desk and an executive return. They are supposed to butt up together but I haven't worked out the best position in the lounge yet. But here they are for you to see:

Ignore the mess on the desktop, because I'm not quite finished yet. The point is, I now have desktop space to spare and I'm thinking that the executive return will prove a handy place for me to have my youngest sit to do her homework while I'm working.

The effort to put these desks together was huge! I tried to do it by myself. Imagine me and a 6 year old and an 8 year old holding pieces together while I tried to work out how to use these funny looking screws and caps. Well, I got it together alright and turned it up the right way and within minutes it fell apart. If it wasn't so tragic, I'd be howling with laughter because I am the "I can" woman!!!

My husband, who was coming up for the weekend to be with the children arrived just as it fell apart to my humiliation and abject horror, as we'd already had a blazing row about him helping me put it together earlier in the day. He saw what I'd done and scolded me for not waiting for him to help me. Secretly, I'm glad I tried and failed because it made him see how much I need his practical help, despite us being separated. Why is it that when you are with someone for 12 years, you develop a dependency on certain aspects of their nature and when they are no longer around you realise just how important they really are to you?

Anyway, I'm very pleased to say that it was relief when we finally got every screw in place. By the way, my error was that I didn't screw the screws in tight enough for them to expand the thing that keeps it all together. I did it as tight as my fingers could go, but needed to use a screwdriver, which I couldn't find. :))))

Well, now I am sitting at my lovely new desk, typing this and thinking about the new office chair I am going to need to purchase because now the desk is too tall for my chair. It just doesn't end...

AMANDA’S DELICIOUS ZUCHINNI BAKE

Recipe: Amanda Reed
Photo: Hayley Solich
Ingredients

1.5 cups grated zucchini
1/2 cup grated onion
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup grated bacon
1 cup cheese
½ cup plain flour
5 eggs
Add extra veggies to taste (add an extra egg)
Add seasoning to taste
Variations: Substitute Chicken or Tuna for Bacon.
Method

1. Grate the vegetables
2. Whisk the eggs.
3. Add flour
4. Mix in veggies
5. Add bacon
6. Pour into a baking tray
7. Cook on 180 degrees until skewer comes out with no fluid on it.
8. Delicious served with salad and fish or chicken.

Couldn't let it pass without comment.

The past week was a bit of hell at home with my children. I had four sick one day, then one sick for a whole week. There was a war zone with the school and it just seemed like everything was going to the wall. I seriously sat myself down and said, "What's going on here???"

Then as I reviewed what was happening I realised that I was responsible. Sure I had raged that the world was unfair. That if only my children would support me, if only my son would poo in the toilet and my daughter get better quicker. It wasn't my fault my house was disorganised, after all I was running as fast as I could to keep up with things. But at the end of my raging, I once again realised I was responsible. It was my job to organise my house, to help my children achieve social acceptance and to decide what I did and didn't allow in my life.

So taking commando action, I rallied my children together and I gave them the enough is enough speech. They saw me on the edge of something mega bad and responded accordingly. We worked as a team and in half a day the house was back in order. Then I could think straight. I also felt so much kinder towards them because I was no longer resenting them for making the mess, as they were also taking responsibility for their part.

This morning I got up and went for a walk with a friend. Michelle is one of the women on my Commando Kick Butt Challenge team and I so appreciated her strength and encouragement. She encouraged me walk faster than I would have and to keep striding it out. She encouraged me to run up the sand dunes which just about exploded my heart! She encouraged me to not think about the pain but focus on the gain!

When I came back from my walk I noticed that getting the children's breakfast and lunches made was no longer a chore. I was really awake and feeling vitality rushing through my veins. It also helped me to eat the right kind of breakfast to increase my protein intake. I am so grateful to Michelle for helping me to get my day in order.

As I am drinking more water, increasing my exercise and watching what I eat, I am finding I feel lighter on my feet, my attitude towards life is changing and I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds. But I think the vital element in all of this is that I am no longer neglecting what is most important here - my health, my responsibilities, my family.

It bears thinking about. What are you doing daily to contribute to the longevity of yourself and your family? What are you doing to take responsibility for your situation, no matter how bad or unfair it is?

Randy Pausch shared this piece of wisdom he learned from one of the men he worked under. When your critics stop criticising it is a sign that they have stopped caring about you and have written you off. As I see the school, my husband, my children, my friends through these eyes, it helps me to take responsibility for my part in any aggravated situation.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this, so please comment.

Can you help me, please?