Showing posts with label happy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label happy. Show all posts

Friday, May 4, 2012

Quitting Sugar

Finally I have started the program to quit sugar. I know I've banged on about this all year and finally four months after I purchased Sarah Wilson's book I have begun. Totally by random. 

When ever I put a date on things like this it just doesn't work out. The whole "diet starts on Monday" is crap, I have major difficulty doing battle with my mind and will power when it comes to such major lifestyle changes.

So how did I start? It just happened. April was a pretty good month for my yoga practice. I got my butt whooped a few times. I knew deep down I could do so much better in the hot room if I clean up my act outside the room. i.e SUGAR. It reeks havoc on your muscles and digestive system, let alone makes your mind go doolally! Easter I binged like an out of control food-a-holic. Then suddenly I didn't feel like eating my usual daily chocolate fix. I was actually sick of it. So just like that I stopped eating it. 

Once I was over week one of no cakes, biscuits, chocolate, ice cream and sweets it was plain sailing. I didn't even want or crave any of the above. Don't get me wrong I didn't go totally cold turkey as sugar is lurking in everything. I still have the occasional small orange juice, especially on my 4am start mornings to give me a quick fix.

Kat Eden wrote this great piece on breaking addiction which I took note of. By not having a sweet treat at your usual time, mine is either after lunch or after my evening meal, you get out of the habit. I didn't want chocolate at 10am so I didn't have it & I wasn't allowing myself any after 12pm.

I have no idea what clicked in my head, it just happened. I no longer wanted sweet stuff. A belated birthday present from the UK landed a few weeks ago. A big bar of Galaxy chocolate, om nom nom. My favourite. I tucked it away in the fridge and decided to treat myself to a row to celebrate two weeks without it. It tasted funny. It did nothing for me. Totally shocked. I thought after abstaining it would taste like heaven, especially creamy UK stuff. No. My stomach started swelling, my digestive system gurgled, I had a high then a crash. Very weird. These gut feelings used to be normal for me, I thought it was the usual reaction to food in general. However I always followed a meal with chocolate or something sweet. Ah ha, breakthrough moment.

Ending week three now. The results; less bloating or weird gastric rumblings,  uncomfortable tight stomach feelings gone. My yoga practice is so, so much stronger, bow I no longer get cramps in my calves or toes. My head is clearer, as is my skin. (A yoga colleague commented on this) My clothes are looser, I have lost just over 1kg without changing anything else in my diet/lifestyle. (Another yoga colleague commented on this also = noticeable weight loss) I wasn't aiming for weight loss, it is a bonus as most of the shorts I wore at TT I didn't feel comfortable in & I'd stopped teaching in cropped tops. I felt out of shape & the scales showed it. 


Onwards I go. I have given away a bunch of unopened biscuits and chocolates. There are three unopened Easter eggs in the fridge which will be finding new homes if The Man doesn't hurry up & eat them! Finally, I am no longer climbing the walls at 3pm wanting a sugar fix. Hoorah!!



Thursday, December 8, 2011

Hitting the ground running

The title of this post sums it up really. After five leisurely jet lags days I have literally not stopped. Nearly two weeks back at full time work, four yoga classes taught, eight practiced, I have been busy, busy, busy. 

Last weekend for example I left the house at 8:30am Saturday morning and didn't get home till 7:30pm Sunday night. I literally lived out my car but did get to sleep in a real bed Saturday. (my friends guest bed to be precise) But I'm loving it. Fast pace and furious is how I like it. If I'm not kept on my toes I get bored.

I am learning that I need to keep everything balanced. Setting up new files for teaching invoices/tax recipes is top of the list when I get a spare second. Christmas card writing took priority over that. Most of this will be digital but I still  have some actual paper work to deal with. Don't mess with the tax man. I'm making time for my personal practice. It's so important and will help my teaching. I like having the 'face time' with students too so they just don't see me on the podium but being a student as well. Too many teachers have told me they find it hard to keep up there own practice in order to teach full time. As I'm not teaching full time but working full time it still will be a challenge. So far, so good.

I started having Reiki healing which hopefully will help relax some of my mad energy. There was mention of post traumatic stress disorder as a result of attending TT. I laughed this off but I have had some nights I've woken up bolt upright in bed thinking I was sleeping through a lecture!! Even though I was one of the few who had a sunshine & rainbows experience I feel there was some dark energy I absorbed or was exposed to. That needs to be exorcised!!!

A few people have that they have found it hard to integrate back into real life after training. I've been too busy to have a choice, head first back into it. One weird thing is though I have found myself distancing myself from my fellow trainees. Of course there are the friends for life who I personally have emailed to touch base with. I've been keeping up with my posture clinic group in our own private area too. I mean I'm not really going into the general Facebook Group and mixing like I did before I left. Maybe it's the lack of time. Maybe I've just closed that circle. Everyone is on their own journey now. We shared the 9 weeks, now its time to move on. Just like training some will struggle, some will cruise it, I just haven't had the energy to follow it all online. I hope each and every person finds their way and finds their happiness but my way now is back in my own home space. I have let go, moved on and send them all good vibes.

With Christmas just around the corner I can't see things slowing down just yet. My day job closes for Christmas week, perfect opportunity for me to teach more! We are having a charity class on Christmas Day which should be fun. Not sure if I can mention what we are doing...I might leave it as a surprise but I'm really looking forward to it. A class with a 'twist!'

Friday, December 2, 2011

Let loose!

After a successful mock class I was let loose on the public for the Tuesday 5:45am class.

I'll back track a bit first. I started back at my full time day job on the Monday. It felt right to be going back, I was a little apprehensive my stand in might have done such a rocking job they might not want me back. Didn't need to worry, quite the opposite happened. My marketing manager greeted me with the words "please, never go away again." I won't go into details but let's say I was welcomed back with open arms and I felt very much appreciated. My desk looked like a bomb site. After a quick tidy up and bin session I was back in business.


Other instructors have said it takes a while to readjust back into the real world. I've been okay. Nothing has felt weird. It's just normal, like I have never been away. Maybe because I was really centered before I left. I knew I was doing the right thing and I knew I had a great place to come back to. Positive thinking at it's best. Doubt grows and feeds more doubt. Positive outlooks become reality if you truly believe in what you are wishing for.

A lot of people go to Training to change their lives and finally get to do a job they love. I didn't want a new career, I have a very nice, successful one thank you, I was after something extra to enrich what I already have. I like to have the best of both world's where possible and now I have it. How irritating am I, I know, two jobs I love. Believe you can have it all and you will. (or just read The Secret and everything will become clear where I'm coming from)

Day two back at work & my 'new work' routine started. I had to get up super early 4:15am to be at the studio at 5:05am to open up & learn the ropes. I had some help that first morning which was great. Nineteen keen students turned up. Three familiar, happy faces were amongst them which was a comfort (thanks Bianca, Shelley F & Bridget!) I had headset problems which threw me a bit but soon I was well under way. I love teaching. Just the simplest change of tone/command and you can see the students move deeper, work harder with your words, get maximum benefits! Such a privilege to be helping people get themselves healthy and fit. What a job!!!

When that job was done and everyone was safely out the door. Time for a quick shower, change and off I went to the day job. I was sat at my desk only 20 minutes after my official start time, very happy I found a car parking space and I'd done my bit for the greater good. 

A fantastic perk that come's with being a teacher means I can use the staff changing room!! No more waiting in line for a shower & I can spread out, no more sharing bench space. I also get to leave my stuff there too. No more hiking my huge wash bag & towels around. I really went to town with that one. Purchasing a shiny purple caddy to keep my shampoo & it's friends in. I will miss the morning chit chat in the student changing rooms but it might mean we all get out the door a bit quicker.

This has been a gentle week of two classes to get me started and then it's into full swing. I'm scheduled on for four classes next week including my first class at BYSB!!