My First 30 Day Challenge

How exciting! I've always wanted to do this as I was also intrigued with the concept after watching a few episodes of Morgan Spurlock's short lived series several years back. But I've always had a problem committing to anything!

I joined a gym and Weight Watchers 3 weeks ago - it was a spontaneous decision and I was "excited" about it, but secretly... I thought I would fail/quit and I was emotionally preparing myself to once again face the music. And then I'd have to give myself another pep talk just so I wouldn't feel bad about myself. But I took it one day at a time - the first 3 days were tough, but when I got to day 4 I started to really feel proud of myself. I was convinced I'd done this amazing thing - the gym!... 4 days...then 5 days... in a row! who does that? Oh, I know... Me!

Fast forward 3 weeks - I've been totally committed to changing the way I treat my body - I go to the gym 5 days a week, I stick to my food plan and I have already felt dramatic physical and emotional changes. Suddenly I feel that anything is possible and I want more! I'm ready for another challenge!

Daisyfae, my dearest and most supportive bloggy buddy, turned me on to this 30 day challenge and I'm so grateful!

I couldn't decide on the type of challenge - intellectual? creative? physical? spiritual?... I sat with it a couple of days, it was a tough call but since I'm finally learning new things about my body I'm going to expand on that discovery...

My plan is to learn how to Bellydance! It looks fun and sexy and really tones and strengthens the body.

I'm not a graceful girl so this could be laughable! On the other hand - I can only improve!

Thanks again for letting me play along!

Wrap-up Round 1 a la Mitzi

The 30 Day Project came just at the right time. I was getting slovenly, and couldn't access the right inner zing to inspire me toward exercise. Un/fortunately, I am obliged to exercise for health reasons. The mental uplift is vital, and the maintenance of steady (decreased) weight is preventative of potential nastiness. Then a score of vanity reasons follow.

Getting out to the sea was an initial form of exercise, as I spent a good deal of brisk walking time exploring the local area. As I have only lived here eight odd months, the walks were exploratory and fun.

Despite the zensome joy of strolling by the sea and my initial stoicism, bad weather forced me indoors and back on the treadmill. The mental leap I made between about day 10 and now is exciting. It used to be gruelling to make it to 30 minutes. Now, it is distance rather than time thatI look forward to achieving. I also have proof that steady jogging of about 4 k's on a regular basis has shifted my shape around a bit. I became reacquainted with my waist which is once again the slightly narrower bit in the middle.

Now that the exercise hit from 30 Days round 1 has kickstarted my health and fitness needs, I may return to a mental challenge. One ten year goal I set earlier this year was to be able to do cryptic crosswords. The more I try, I find I've been able to make more sense of them. However, I don't want an unrealistic challenge. To complete an entire cryptic crossword is still impossible for me, but I can work out two or three clues. Therefore, one possibility for 30 Day Challenge Round 2 is to complete 3 cryptic crossword clues per day. As Monday 15th arrives slightly earlier for me than Northern Hemisphereans, I shall have to decide overnight!

My other desired challenges are: yogic stretching; a daily swim; contimued jogging; resume my learning of Gaelic; and a million other things.

Meanwhile, I will try to blog about a daily jog on my regular blog so that I maintain momentum. I also suggest that the highlight of my 30 Day Challenge round 1 was doing The Bay Run of 7 kilometres with relative ease. It showed how it only took about 15-20 ish days to resume a happy level of fitness and determination. Hooray for all of us, and Bob for getting the party started in cahoots with Daisyfae, and the rest of us tribal types. It's grand to form a fun yet frolicsome collective.

Daily Jog (through water, horizontally)

Yesterday's jog was actually a swim.
I'd arranged to meet a friend at the cafe near the pool, and finished my 20 laps in time for lunch.
It was a little tiring on the shoulders, but the slow and steady approach helped.

Today's final jog will be the end of my challenge. I might have to do the Challenge on my own blog after this inspiring collective effort.

The Daily Jog Day 28-ish

The thing they say about knees and jogging is starting to ring true. My right leg is acting suspiciously during exercise. It is starting to resent my 4 km prowess. Today I took two or three "interval walks" during my 4k's to ease the way.

I may have to exchange my sneakers for "togs and goggles" tomorrow and swim instead. Still, I'm feeling fit and healthy, which is exciting.

The Daily Jog

Exciting to know we have scaled the 27 day cliff-face. I wonder what will occur beyond the 30 day horizon? Will there be 30 Days Mark 2? Or 30 Days redux?

Whatever happens, it's as good to "let go" as it is to "hold on for one more day", Wilson Phillips style.

Today I used my new 7-km distance legs to jog a sensible 4km - not too crazy lengthy, but a serious jaunt. I know I need to stretch more. My right thigh keeps asking "why? why?"

I am quite looking forward to adding swimming to my exercise pattern, such as it is.

Triumph

Finding my jogging friend yesterday was a challenge. I was only familiar with the southern end of the circuit. Now I know the whole lot, all 7k's of it. With only four or so "recovery walk" intervals, we jogged most of the way. The Bay Run is spectacular. The surrounding traffic on one side turns out to be not so bad, as most of the circuit is bordered by parks, sports fields, fine architecture and rowing clubs. The final leg is a wonderful pedestrian and bike bridge.

I'm not sore at all after yesterday's effort and the 4.25 I managed the day before.

It's a lot easier to run a sizeable distance when you can see it physically in front of you. It means you can't stop until you get back to your car. In true Mitzi style we celebrated the triumph with coffee and cannoli at a fabulous Pasticceria in Haberfield.

Run Mitzi Run

Yesterday's walk ended up being not exactly seaside, but there was water nearby - in a swimming pool in a local park. From the train station, myself and Uiver walked to a music show happening at a fun, warehouse-type venue. This was in a groovy, inner-city residential area where I lived as an undergraduate and also later on during the year of my Diploma of Education.

We walked about 15 minutes to the venue, got our wrists stamped and had plenty of time up our sleeves. The doorman pointed us towards the nearest pub but we were in more of a dessert mood. Thus, a further 20 minute walk up the hill necessitated some relaxing sit-down time at a very tasty gelateria. The sesame gelato turned out to be utterly scrumptious, more tasty than the chocolate. We walked off our dessert back down the hill and swayed on our few for a couple of hours to some fantastic indie rock.

Today I redressed the exercise balance and ran a solid 3 Ks. My good friend is visiting Sydney this weekend. She is in training for a 10Km run! I am going to help her out by joining her for a 7km practise jog. I feel a hell of a lot fitter than I did in the fortnight before the 30 Day project started, so I will be able to do 7km, even if it's hare rather than tortoise-style.

Gym Gymunkie

The evenings are warming up. Spring is budding and the afternoons are bathed in golden hues - I'm not even trying to sound Romantic. There are literally golden hues pervading the very air, the good old sunshine is gearing up for summer.

The weather means more outdoorsiness, or at least the longing for it. Still, the lack of time and fuss spent going to and from the downstairs gym is awesome in its insignificance: not having to drive for a good gym fix is so idea.

Thus, yesterday I was joined by the good Uiver for some exercise in the gym. I favoured an extended run on the treadmill, interrupted by a stitch, a breather and continued on the stair-climber. The bloke himself favoured a mash-up of different cardio and weights activities. He jokingly admitted to popping into the gym for brief visits in order to say "I go to the gym every day". He needn't be at all sheepish. It's part of one's shaky motivation.

As to that, there is only so much daylight left before I head out for a concert tonight . And still the motivation to break a sweat is a struggle, but I may yet get there.