New Year, New Chapter

I know, I know, it's already February but for me, I am only just getting the time to look at and plan for the year ahead. We had a 10 day trip to Bali in early January (which I came home very sick from) and then had the mad rush of school going back and my 4 year old son heading off to pre-school - phew!   Things seem to be calming down a bit, and I've purposely held back a bit on the extra activities this term so as to start breathing again and maybe organise my own life a teeny bit.

Well, my lovely friend asked for a comparison from when I started a year ago to now and so here 'tis:

JAN 2010: 

* I weighed 97.7  kg.  (I can hear you all gasp!)

* I suffered from severe pain in the joints of my fingers, toes, ankles and was regularly struck down by dreadful exhaustion (what my doctor classified as Fibromyalgia - a reoccurrence of symptoms suffered with latent viruses in my body - Ross River Fever, Glandular Fever, etc, etc). 

* I had a hideously itchy scalp, yeast running rife through my body, very little energy (der!) and had just weaned myself off of PND medication after the birth of my 4th child. 

*I had been going to the gym for nearly a year and had gradually started building up my strength, but had not changed my diet at all from when I had been bulking up in my pregnancy and through breast feeding. 

* I ate alot of organic food and had eliminated most preservatives and additives from my diet but I was addicted to baking, sugar, caffiene, wheat and dairy - whoopee! 

* I struggled with low self-esteem, depression, extreme mood swings, dreadful migraines resultant from stress and shocking PMT that created much friction at home.  I visited the chiro fortnightly from my weak back and neck that some days made it hard to walk, sleep and excercise.

* I rarely ever spent time in quiet, praying or reading the bible.


OK, zip forward 12 months (and a bit) to

FEB 2011:

* I weigh 78 kgs (yes, I lost 20 kgs - YYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!)

* I still have some symptoms of my FM but not nearly as incapacitating as it once was.  Some mornings I wake with crampy fingers and I am still hit with waves of tiredness by late arvo but this is only more recently with recovering from my Bali virus.

* I now get my itchy scalp only when I stray from my new & improved diet!  The yeast is still going on but is being dealth with.  I am on no medication at the moment and except for the antibiotics I took for this bug, I had not even been to see the dr for literally 8 months!!!!!  Just like I started last year seeing an amazing homeopath who put me on the right track, so too did I do this year as well!

*I had an amazing personal trainer who pushed me to a place where I felt strong, slim and amazing!  That adrenaline rush from working out first thing in the morning was my release and really helped me focus for the day.  I did 3 x 45 min sessions a week - not very much, but they were intense sessions!  I didn't kid myself, I am inately lazy and if not for knowing the trainer was doing all the brainwork for me and I just had to do what she said - made it quite easy for me to get up at 5am, in fact I actually started ENJOYING it!

* I am on a refined sugar-free, grain-free diet and am weaning myself off of most dairy.  I avoid yeast products (including fermented products & fungis eg. grapes, mushrooms, vinegars, wine, etc).  I love my organics but now make the most of them by trying to eat at least 50% raw.  I still enjoy a cuppa java a day!  I drink lots of lemon water to alkilise my body, and I have a supplement regime which gives invaluable nutrients too.

* I won't lie - I still have mood swings, and these can be pretty darn closely related to cheating in my diet, and at the moment detoxing after the Christmas break.  My PMT, though, reached a point where I really saw no dramatic drop in my mood, and fewer periods of depression - something I know my husband noticed and very much appreciated.  Yes, I am still married.

* My Chiro loves the new me - I still see her regularly as she helps my body  cope with my continually changing fitness regime but I adjust easier, can be manipulated better (not so much flab getting in the road), have only suffered a handful of migraines and I have built up a much better core! 

* OK, spiritually - I still have my desert times but I also have those oases of refreshing rain!  I will always need strength and discipline to devote time to much-needed meditation and contemplation of God's word.  However, the hand of God is always present in my life - how else would I (and my family) have survived the past year?????  His Grace has been abundant and sufficient! 

THANKS:  My little sister who always inspired me to excercise and was invaluable through my stages of depression, my eldest sister for inspiring me to always eat in a way that was nourishing not damaging and who I have copied so many of my grand schemes and ideas from (and who put me onto a great homeopath);  my other sister who is always encouraging and who'll otherwise get me for not mentioning her as well ;-0!  Don't you love a family who builds you up, not tears you down???  Yes, my parents are happy to support us in whatever we want to do to make our lives better, but will always be my main spiritual guides & provide much-needed prayer power!  My friends - many I've preached too, many I've met a long the way, many I've been able to encourage and some I've even learnt from.  Thanks for your support! My wonderful PT who was not only my core-saviour but my raw food inspiration and more importantly a great friend - never will I forget!  And my homeopath who provided me with a common-sense approach, thinks all things are possible (including getting rid of those latent viruses completely) and has given me many gross things to spray, swallow & ingest (but which have made a massive difference in my life)!  I am sure there are many others but couldn't possibly list all the authors, blogs, strangers & acquaintances who have made a difference in my life - I LOVE YOU ALL!



BEFORE - December 2009, Mums' night out
(almost too embarassed to publish).



AFTER - December 2010 -
celebrating making it through the year!





BEFORE:  December 2009 - I loved to hide as
 much of me as possible behind my kids!



AFTER:  January 2011 - Not the best pic
but it does show a bit more of my body.



Coming Soon - Goals, and changing Regimes....