Where for art thou cycling? Well, I managed to put my lower back out again so that put paid to cycling. It seems I'm doomed to not get back on my bike. Actually I have been back on it, quite a few times since then. I've just been doing a short loop around the farm once or twice a week and riding it between my house and my folks (also on the farm and about 15 mins walk or a 5 min cycle away from our place). It's been really good because I'm easing back into it slowly and actually feel like I can tackle a bit longer ride this week.

Other than that I've been walking and jogging, yes actually running, around the hills on the farm. I'm really pleased as my fitness level is improving steadily. I'm basically going to keep plodding at this level until after the silly season is over and then pick it up in the new year. I'm going back to yoga classes from Feb next year once a week as I miss the peace of the practice and the strength, flexibility and balance you achieve with Hartha Yoga. Cycling, tramping and walking/jogging around the farm will provide the other elements of my exercise - oh and swimming. I intend to actually hit the beach and swim in the surf at least once a week after Xmas. It's been too damn cold lately - I went in the other day and almost froze me butt off (if only!).

SO all in all I'm really pleased with my fitness level. I'm steadily building up for our tramping in March/April and then up again for climbing Mt Taranaki in August. I use to be really fit a few years ago, in the dim dark days of a low-fat high carb diet, weighing 154lbs and being starving all the time. It kicked in worsening PCOS symptoms, hyperinsulinism and a worsening thyroid problem (not that I knew that at the time) and I just started eating more and more high carb foods, getting fatter while exercising 3 hours a day . Now if I only knew then what I know now I could have avoided the additional 30kg (66lbs)weight gain, getting really sick and having the damn struggle back to health again. Ah we live and learn .

Now I must get on with some very high carb cooking - a deliciously yummy Xmas pudding I will, however, go and have a nice high protein smoothie for breakfast and attempt to stick to a LC day today, to make up for the three parties I've got this week.
J

Although I've been somewhat remiss at visiting my gym log, I have not been sitting on my chuff! I've not been into a gym in a while but I am walking up hills and down dales, with a pack on my back, most days of the week including one or two days a week where I do anywhere from 3 to 6 hours of walking. Feeling much better and far fitter than I have in ages and we're off tramping for a total of 10 days in a couple of weeks. Really looking forward to it.

Competed in the Special K Women's Triathlon in January and did remarkably well. It covered a 300m swim, 15km cycle and 5km walk/run, which I did in 1 hour 15 mins or there abouts, coming in around 150 out of 500 competitors. I lost the tag off my shoe so actually offically recorded a did not finish, but my sister and SIL both competed and I came in just after them and beat both of them in the cycle leg!

Enjoying walking, yoga and still contemplating some more cycling, although I generally don't get much further than contemplating it I must admit. Will see about that when we get back from our tramping trip.
J

Been a while since I've ventured in here. Still don't make it to the gym as such but we've set up a gym at home. I've now got a cross-trainer, a weight's bench and a variety of free-weights and plates so I can do pretty much everything I need from home. I'm doing 30 mins of cross-training and some weights work most days, walking around the hills with a pack on my back and in tramping boots 5 days a week and doing a bit of yoga at home as well. I'll start going to yoga classes again this week as I really need it for stress reduction, centring and improved muscle strength, tone and flexibility.

We're off to climb Mt Taranaki with a day of ice-skills training in 3 weeks, so I'm back on track for training and starting the build-up to really improve my fitness levels for that. We're off to climb more mountains and do another 5-day trek at Xmas time and I'm hoping to throw in several weekend trips for tramping between now and then as well.

Loving being fitter and now I've got in mind to really start building my muscle strength and tone, and improve cardio fitness as well. Consistency is the key.