tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48451685508021410312024-03-13T20:45:46.436+00:00No More Mrs Fatty McFat!No More Mrs Fatty McFat.Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-50487123888329076742013-09-26T10:32:00.001+01:002013-09-26T11:38:34.902+01:00Challenge Update - week 5<style>
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So it’s been 5 weeks since I started my personal take on my
own challenge and up until week 4 I was going great guns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the dreaded stomach flu bug that
has been doing the rounds hit. I spent three days curled up on the sofa in
serious pain eating porridge and toast as staples to try and keep my energy
levels up. </div>
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I can honestly say I have never felt stomach pain quite like
that before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was quite
horrendous.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What was upsetting was
it was the run up to my best friends’ wedding day and the last thing I wanted
was to be an ill bridesmaid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thankfully, the pains etc had eased by the big day and Clare and Giles’
day was simply perfect. I have to admit I couldn’t look at Clare while Glyn and I
performed the song for her and Giles' first dance, as I could feel myself getting
teary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a pleasure, honour
and joy to perform that for them and I’m so proud of them both. Enough gushing,
haha!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit67wh6EuJ6eOEsqFrCY-hr44FqW-N-AKbQ5BZo93rJwLYcZMqrk2dRaOo_VUx_NKiqyNDS0xyxQQp8SQ91gRviU8Vus-4ap3oTUJwHzKFTdRm668HGyKrn71d8Rdj7Upkog4IN7lsC-Y/s1600/notts+half+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit67wh6EuJ6eOEsqFrCY-hr44FqW-N-AKbQ5BZo93rJwLYcZMqrk2dRaOo_VUx_NKiqyNDS0xyxQQp8SQ91gRviU8Vus-4ap3oTUJwHzKFTdRm668HGyKrn71d8Rdj7Upkog4IN7lsC-Y/s1600/notts+half+logo.jpg" height="66" width="200" /></a>The downside to the three days on not eating properly and no
exercise was that I had to drop out of the Spartan Super race that I have been
so looking forward to, and kiss goodbye to my Trifecta hopes for this year. But
that means I have more time to work harder, be faster and compete properly next
year. Something I have learned over the years, is that there is no end to
goals, even when they are initially achieved; the posts just move. While I
might not have gained the Trifecta this year, I am still going to be running
the Beast in November and I have the Nottingham Half Marathon to look forward
to this weekend. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kn7kgd_ul6FwZYRf12ZSwUfl-7Z5gBzUukeUhhEb54tG4ZClSMAufCCM39v8CCR758LVdwHie0_8JYGoPbVjB9H3SOyoVQnDVOocUdZFdFwq3gpp2sya4yTNcB00OwayLDeg7vhoIlU/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7kn7kgd_ul6FwZYRf12ZSwUfl-7Z5gBzUukeUhhEb54tG4ZClSMAufCCM39v8CCR758LVdwHie0_8JYGoPbVjB9H3SOyoVQnDVOocUdZFdFwq3gpp2sya4yTNcB00OwayLDeg7vhoIlU/s1600/image.jpg" height="200" width="160" /></a>On the challenge side, I haven’t measured or checked my Body
Fat and will do that on Monday next week, the start of week 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What has happened though is that I have
re-discovered my productivity streak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I am suddenly waking up at 6:30/7am and hitting the ground running, the
background stuff for the challenge is in place and I have a number of people on
board already. I’m very excited to get this challenge up and running but also
nervous at the same time.</div>
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I have discovered that I actually quite like the ‘fear’
feeling that comes with starting new projects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Facing fear is one of the most important things we can do.
Fear, after all, is a natural emotion when we do something new but it is also
momentary; regret lasts forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sometimes just the decision to try something new is enough to instil
fear, and then attacking that new project shows us what we are capable of. If
we can apply that to the small things, then the bigger things start to not look
so big at all.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXiIRaEnR1OdcKtHKKZe42x0eSE4q4453pKryqowoMokdRUFwV9xsxkq9K5uiNOv_-XqJu31od24Fo0EakhLGNA55U0tlOquIPNDvBj9zL08ZJNsgWjucZ25rNkOypjWNbMOG3mDjH6I/s1600/change+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXiIRaEnR1OdcKtHKKZe42x0eSE4q4453pKryqowoMokdRUFwV9xsxkq9K5uiNOv_-XqJu31od24Fo0EakhLGNA55U0tlOquIPNDvBj9zL08ZJNsgWjucZ25rNkOypjWNbMOG3mDjH6I/s1600/change+2.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a>So this weekend is my Half Marathon challenge….I’m so under
prepared for it but heck, the aim is just to finish it in whatever time it
takes. And then Monday the challenge kicks off, as do my new classes at a local
community centre. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it’s all go.
I’m looking forward to the next 12 weeks helping to motivate others online, and
to help them achieve their goal to start and implement a new healthy lifestyle.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Until then be kind to yourself, always.</div>
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Krissie</div>
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x</div>
Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-55811605683697152962013-09-06T17:43:00.001+01:002013-09-06T17:53:44.426+01:00All progress, no matter how small, is progress<br />
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So I thought I would post an update on how I'm doing with the challenge while I continue to write the information/routines/etc for the challenge proper as it has become known in my workings.<br />
<br />
In my last post I said this was was going to be an interesting time for me personally, due to how manic it's going to get while I get the challenge up underway as well as go through it myself, and September has proven to be a bitch of a month already. <br />
<br />
While I have yet to film any of the workouts, I have done the bare bones of the routines, and am fine tuning them ready to film them - plus I have the arduous task (not really but I like that word) of listening to reams of rock and metal to use as the background music to get the people who will be <br />
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undertaking the challenge pumped. I really hope the music I'm picking will work for them as much as it works for me.<br />
<br />
The end of the first week of my personal challenge saw me attend my hobby weekend of live action roleplay and usually I partake in far too much alcohol, but this year I was very well behaved on that front. Also due to not being a staff member this year, I no longer have access to a kitchen so was forced to improvise as best as possible while still having to venture to the burger van in the evenings for dinner. Not ideal but when that is the only food vendor on site you have no other choice really. <br />
The plus side of the hobby, is the amount of running around that is undertaken when in game. It can be none stop walking from game start at 10am to finish at 2am. I was thrilled to do a number of hill sprints and not have any niggles from the old IT Band. It feels wonderful to be back to full strength after a year and half.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOUhWMTiEv5sCrwnvJSrAhIF9VKiljrZ46YGqmP9aErQpsqLemscPCL5-THik4GFpD4Qn160XSWhV_ldM9cGFjyXA1bN9vXJGKuagHulodZu8fFow6YJN6h7s3jOkxCiiX2zAA23pJS4/s1600/215607_10151125542951665_531591001_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOUhWMTiEv5sCrwnvJSrAhIF9VKiljrZ46YGqmP9aErQpsqLemscPCL5-THik4GFpD4Qn160XSWhV_ldM9cGFjyXA1bN9vXJGKuagHulodZu8fFow6YJN6h7s3jOkxCiiX2zAA23pJS4/s200/215607_10151125542951665_531591001_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>Last weekend also saw the start of my Spartan season, with the Cambridge Sprint. I did full <a href="http://www.mudstacle.com/2013/09/spartan-sprint-cambridge-review-krissie-rocks-7k-course.html" target="_blank">review</a> of the race for those wonderful folk over at <a href="http://www.mudstacle.com/" target="_blank">Mudstacle</a>. Their site is well worth checking out if you fancy doing obstacle course racing/mud runs. OCRs genuinely put the fear of the gods into me. I have no idea what's coming up in the way of obstacles, I just know I'll be tested. I also know that the terrain can be damned tricky to run on and I'm always wary of turning over on my ankle. The race was good fun, it always is, even when I arrive with a knot in the pit of my stomach and all rationale telling me to get in the car and just go home. But if I listened to that voice, I wouldn't be doing the job I do now... so!<br />
<br />
The one thing I do need to invest in somehow is a rope to climb, but my ceilings are low so it wouldn't work in the house gym. No I need a rope climb somewhere where it's going to challenge, so I may have to chat to the boys at the gym I attend. This weekend the band has a gig in County Durham, and the morning after we are racing in Yorkshire. So another busy weekend ahead. And while I am off on the road I thought I would do an update with where I am at the 'almost' 3 week mark.<br />
<br />
So the 'almost' 3 week stats:<br />
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<ul>
<li>Waist 34 1/4 inches (loss of 1 inch)</li>
<li>Hips 40 inches (loss of 1 3/4 inches)<br /><ul>
<li>Ratio: 0.85 (down from 0.87) </li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Weight 159.4lbs (loss of almost 3lbs)</li>
</ul>
<br />
I'm not going to test my body fat until week 8 as I require the help of one of my fellow PTs to do the caliper measurements for me. But all in all for just under 3 weeks that's not a bad at all. I'm very chuffed with that. As I stated before, for me this challenge isn't about weight loss it's about fat loss and building my strength. So it's all going in the right direction, which gives me great hope for how my challengers are going to do if they work at it. And that, I suppose is the crux, even though I've had a weekend where my options weren't the best they could have been I've still maintained the programme I set myself for the most part, and the poof is in the results.<br />
<br />
I will probably do a week six update, although I may just post my stats a week Monday when I return from Scotland to see how I'm continuing.<br />
<br />
Until then, if you want more information about the challenge then please see the <a href="http://krissiekirby.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">KrissieKirby.com</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/null"> </a>blog and <a href="http://krissiekirby.com/email.html" target="_blank">sign up</a> to be the first to know when registration opens.<br />
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<br />
As always be kind to yourself, <br />
Krissie<br />
xx <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR76m1XYnfdYTs_GaQZL6ACKCXprWPkIgGYeMh-4UnFkMk4SsCsOj1PIwfj_72geII6xXP1laRsAVSfwvQoikVDq9xaho_qVe3qL0G5kgbg6sF38nBns1-Ik26AUMRtTAEPyON7tsBtDE/s1600/c113ip02326.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR76m1XYnfdYTs_GaQZL6ACKCXprWPkIgGYeMh-4UnFkMk4SsCsOj1PIwfj_72geII6xXP1laRsAVSfwvQoikVDq9xaho_qVe3qL0G5kgbg6sF38nBns1-Ik26AUMRtTAEPyON7tsBtDE/s320/c113ip02326.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First of 4 mudpits, after a lovely barbed wire crawl!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvoshZn26Gv3_XGbV8awbDDv0fz3O5eMa9Dkdz9GH-XsLVOIxqCa2h_GaNF5zB4bsO33TMAhHOc2GNoUPZCYVPbNCRhH7_Do6ZCj3TxFdiENFr1TjjdJIunpviAb_D0nPUViUGYiujdQ/s1600/1262815_10151843433291665_1766412263_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXvoshZn26Gv3_XGbV8awbDDv0fz3O5eMa9Dkdz9GH-XsLVOIxqCa2h_GaNF5zB4bsO33TMAhHOc2GNoUPZCYVPbNCRhH7_Do6ZCj3TxFdiENFr1TjjdJIunpviAb_D0nPUViUGYiujdQ/s320/1262815_10151843433291665_1766412263_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screw you, fire! \m/ </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr21f2uUvFbtXxk-_gwtKeXbXFDnd_vp8HtnPHhWvYCk7NhtDXyb4nBQiwVXgfSXlNF84SD6OGFd4TEJXcPMj2pHS4WRQqVs6PT45VC50c-baIKWrMdsFumGHVphSodF6yjr4s0uTUUU/s1600/c113gl02232.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHr21f2uUvFbtXxk-_gwtKeXbXFDnd_vp8HtnPHhWvYCk7NhtDXyb4nBQiwVXgfSXlNF84SD6OGFd4TEJXcPMj2pHS4WRQqVs6PT45VC50c-baIKWrMdsFumGHVphSodF6yjr4s0uTUUU/s320/c113gl02232.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bring it, boys! Was in fact what I said here, for real!</td></tr>
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A small selection of pictures from the race on the weekend, with thanks to Epic Action Imagery.<br />
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-68629245298223786402013-08-16T12:19:00.000+01:002013-09-06T14:40:45.532+01:00The dreaded BEFORE pictures!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's always the same. I take lots of pictures of my progress and rarely put them up. Yet for the challenge that will be launching at the end of September, I am going to be asking my awesome participants to take a series of before pictures so that when they finish the challenge they have a tangible view of how they have done, as well as a set of measurements etc.<br />
<br />
So while I am undergoing the testing and planning phase of this challenge, before I launch it on 12 excited people, here are my 'before' pictures. In general I am pleased with where I am, but there is always room for improvement and I do feel that I could do with getting rid of some of the fat that I have around my body. I want to feel tighter and less floppy (as I told you before it is a highly technical term that...floppy). Also by being very public about my own trial of the challenge, I am forced to practice what I preach, as all of us personal trainers should to be quite frank. Why on earth would I have you pay me to offer something I wouldn't do myself? Just doesn't make sense. Also this is most definitely about what the individual wants/feels for themselves, so before any comments of 'but you look great' come through - thank you I feel great, I just want to feel even better and that's no bad thing :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17WWJcaW1A1Ds7xX8ff8SASXzXbhzGNqHYoz6vEqi4LXKPEE3B0wEw67bUiKcAg9lUwx6AVJLPJU1JTMHeMgJHDAZ9IRGwqNt-y3LmAzyV8fGykIe1YgY6WUWMHs2OwHFa7g0GmhrPg0/s1600/ecuses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi17WWJcaW1A1Ds7xX8ff8SASXzXbhzGNqHYoz6vEqi4LXKPEE3B0wEw67bUiKcAg9lUwx6AVJLPJU1JTMHeMgJHDAZ9IRGwqNt-y3LmAzyV8fGykIe1YgY6WUWMHs2OwHFa7g0GmhrPg0/s1600/ecuses.jpg" /></a></div>
What will be fascinating, on a personal level, is that during this 12 weeks, I have a hobby weekend, 3 Spartan Sprints, a Spartan super, a half Marathon, my best friend's wedding, and a whole host of gigging on top of working with clients, teaching bootcamps etc and all the daily paperwork that goes with owning your own business. So juggling this challenge and all that as well as getting all the background for the challenge set up is going to make for a VERY interesting and exceptionally busy time. In short of I can do it.... remember, NO EXCUSES! ;)<br />
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So here goes, these were taken on August 14th and I shall take the final pictures on Sunday 3rd of November. <br />
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVvTpsj0kEH1DNFTD_CJ2wF_yzmB4du7exRzHmSp0VVx3VOOYHZKY9cCyQ0RJ2KObecZxUCHrYAgqB8NwOA0zr4Cxy4EiLCeG5hESVpmC_oKbGCJq27KASKSdlVylbMj0YsrWNYmmcMxk/s320/Before+Aug+14+2013.JPG" width="320" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OoEME15Wukzd0efVe9O17_gs-HuApVcPYOhCIFDrD7zEFjLc9GRZk8NirqAG2I402FnHJ_1QR06HEFP1_AGWV3p1HOVR7pvy1USd74Tov0-o_PREgeeGdXh96dNIGHBna051YrQvpYY/s1600/Before+Aug+2013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8OoEME15Wukzd0efVe9O17_gs-HuApVcPYOhCIFDrD7zEFjLc9GRZk8NirqAG2I402FnHJ_1QR06HEFP1_AGWV3p1HOVR7pvy1USd74Tov0-o_PREgeeGdXh96dNIGHBna051YrQvpYY/s320/Before+Aug+2013.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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If you are interested in learning more about the 12 week Challenge which will be starting on Monday September 30th 2013, and you'd like to register your interest, then please visit the<a href="http://krissiekirby.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank"> Official KrissieKirby.com Blog</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s200/be-kind.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
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Until the next time, be kind to yourself always<br />
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Krissie<br />
x<br />
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-62632284218217002152013-08-14T21:39:00.001+01:002013-08-14T21:39:59.772+01:00Challenge accepted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDuB1QgZlsGTBiyXHz5VCCfzVSlYijMQ8cjlAgzC-SU9L-3qvOo6mreDLDDQEpMBeinuWCn4FBdVzqy5y16nkI792YwGJgz_d3_bCHXJ8ELBpW4mWm7xEdMRG9K7Rs0WSguPZd_9EuzY/s1600/logo_black_180x190px.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqDuB1QgZlsGTBiyXHz5VCCfzVSlYijMQ8cjlAgzC-SU9L-3qvOo6mreDLDDQEpMBeinuWCn4FBdVzqy5y16nkI792YwGJgz_d3_bCHXJ8ELBpW4mWm7xEdMRG9K7Rs0WSguPZd_9EuzY/s1600/logo_black_180x190px.gif" /></a></div>
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So for those of you that read the krissiekirby.com <a href="http://krissiekirby.blogspot.co.uk/2013/08/time-for-challenge.html" target="_blank">blog</a>, you will have seen that I'm taking up my own challenge for 12 weeks to improve my eating habits and fitness levels.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYr0TzrR6MEMKThleXcoasAFqmUVnzHQqb8b9xDsNwlh3yBiR3awp224OGfojS0FYBZw8TDlwLPYikuHM8PHRwhSSOWKsOlLaInOSZgB1efSnACo9IHVZ8hKqfTBX1RI7aEWRqOVl_W4o/s1600/Chocolate+bar.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYr0TzrR6MEMKThleXcoasAFqmUVnzHQqb8b9xDsNwlh3yBiR3awp224OGfojS0FYBZw8TDlwLPYikuHM8PHRwhSSOWKsOlLaInOSZgB1efSnACo9IHVZ8hKqfTBX1RI7aEWRqOVl_W4o/s200/Chocolate+bar.gif" width="200" /></a>I know some of you may be thinking that there is nothing I could/need to change about my current habits but rest assured there are and most trainers fall into a habit of sorting plans and nutrition for their clients while sacrificing their own regimen. Well, I have fallen foul of that in the last few months since I started the business and it's starting to show. I feel lethargic, lacking in energy, motivation and my discipline has gone out the window with the chocolate wrappers that once held the bars I've been vehemently scoffing.<br />
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It's time to reset and get myself back in order, after all I am my product and I can't expect anyone to buy my services if I look all loose and floppy (these are highly technical terms, honest 'guv!). <br />
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When I started <a href="http://krissiekirby.com/">KrissieKirby.com</a> the idea was not only to have the physical face to face side but also a virtual arm, where I could take on a small number of clients and give them something structured but with a degree of flexibility and be adaptable for their particular circumstances, as no two people are the same. Of course this virtual system has to be put together and tested, tweaked and perfected, and so far it's taken a bit of a back seat to the rest of the business while I concentrated on getting <a href="http://krissiekirby.com/forest-fitness.html" target="_blank">Forest Fitness</a> and <a href="http://krissiekirby.com/pole.html" target="_blank">Pole Port Talbot </a>up and running. At the same time, my own training schedule fell by the wayside even though I have had runs and OCRs to train for. I have been more than lackadaisical. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU73gz3WbRB2F30Sqc3d00ctfbUHteuIhN4nceAjMZ-7b14SNZyFKqBH60hlolIr6bTFx0L66Xwice9oL6WP3SPRzUi_Mu_pRp8pUVtH6bVoMSqcvPMcFZnZNe2kb2i2v_DkRMubF35RE/s1600/keep-calm-im-a-personal-trainer-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU73gz3WbRB2F30Sqc3d00ctfbUHteuIhN4nceAjMZ-7b14SNZyFKqBH60hlolIr6bTFx0L66Xwice9oL6WP3SPRzUi_Mu_pRp8pUVtH6bVoMSqcvPMcFZnZNe2kb2i2v_DkRMubF35RE/s200/keep-calm-im-a-personal-trainer-2.png" width="171" /></a>So today I put out the initial feelers for the first 12 week programme. The idea is that for 12 weeks, 12 participants will follow my plan, with some minor amendments to personalise the plans to each participant and for me to help them get back on track; with a view to really seeing a change in their lives in general, not just in their waistlines. But as with all things I do, I'm not prepared to let someone do something I won't. So instead of a focus group I've decided to do the challenge myself and blog, vlog and log about it to show how achievable it is. Yes, I am putting my name to the test and why not? I believe so much in what I do that I'm willing to put my own journey out there (or on here) for everyone to see, similar to when I first started this blog. I'm just going to put this here, first as last, that there will not be any meal replacement shakes, or 'nutritional' shakes included in this plan. I firmly believe that with the correct planning and education you can maintain a well balanced diet and a single multi vit tablet is just as good if you are defitient in any nutrients and aren't able to get them from your food. Just to be clear :)<br />
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So here goes!<br />
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I believe that the weighing scales are purely an indicator of our relationship with gravity. Most people don't believe that I am over 11 stone in weight when I tell them, but it's true. I've got good muscles ;) but I do have a higher than I would like body fat percentage (currently at 28%) and my waist to hip ratio is slightly higher than the recommended number. So this is where I want to focus my attention and fat loss is what we're always aiming for. There is a phrase I've just used that is key to this, 'higher than I would like", this is important because fat loss and healthy living is about the person on their journey and how they feel. So I'm really not bothered what happens on the weight side of the issue, for me personally it's more about the hip to waist ratio and body fat percentage going down. If I lose a few pounds in the process, I'm not complaining but I don't want to lose muscle, as muscle is most definitely the fountain of youth.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHild9kBlWBvz0Aq3XBfTovLTsNYoddcG8qfkA5yaMvFnxVADLCsfWy-a28XVvFa2flcvQF4WgX6eST5iqDggUSOQ3bu5oOoC58HE0g_FzcG-wYlsPnhBdBY6IXc7Ch7CldmHXxS7wMs/s1600/images-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHild9kBlWBvz0Aq3XBfTovLTsNYoddcG8qfkA5yaMvFnxVADLCsfWy-a28XVvFa2flcvQF4WgX6eST5iqDggUSOQ3bu5oOoC58HE0g_FzcG-wYlsPnhBdBY6IXc7Ch7CldmHXxS7wMs/s200/images-1.jpeg" width="200" /></a><br />
My starting stats:<br />
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Weight - 162.2lbs<br />
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Waist - 35 1/4 inches<br />
Hips - 41 3/4 inches (giving a waist:hip ratio of 0.87)<br />
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Body fat percentage - 28.30%<br />
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I will be on week 8 of the challenge when it officially launches, so as I work towards the launch I will do an update of my stats every fortnight as well as blogs and vlogs in between, so you can see how I get on. It's going to be an interesting experiment and one that I hope will inspire 12 souls to embark on and let me help them show them what they can achieve.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s1600/be-kind.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
So until the next blog, be kind to yourself always, YOU ROCK!<br />
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Krissie<br />
x<br />
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The day before, I had developed a knot in the pit of my stomach, one that was threatening to flare up to the point of debilitation. It's been a long time since I felt that sick through nerves. As a rule I tend not get nervous of many things, but for some reason this had me in pieces. It's very strange, you'd think after 3 years of being a member of the fitness industry, having been through all the various courses I've done, not to mention performing on stage regularly, that going to a training day for obstacle course racing, well.. that would be a walk in the park, right? Nope, something was really playing on my nerves. And I know what it is. It was that 'I'll be find out' feeling, found out that I'm not as good as these other people I'll be with, not tough enough/strong enough/small enough/fit enough.... Silly? No. Natural? Maybe. But Pandora (remember her, that negative voice that creeps out of her box) she was back with vengeance. <br />
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After a quick chat in a lay-by with the hubby (he was on his way home from a Krav Maga workshop and we passed each other on the road), I got in the car, woman-ed up, and drove to my hotel near Gatwick. After a rather restless night, due to the hotel having had a hen party in residence who decided in their drunk state that loud was the only way to talk and to hammer on each others doors at 2am, I drove to Pippingford Park, an MOD training ground; still with a knot in my stomach and still hearing Pandora in my head giving me all those old thoughts. I first met Annie (phew, I wasn't the only woman, a huge relief), then Fiona, Lauren and Alexandra. Five girls, thank goodness for that. Also joining us were some of the guys that are regulars on the<a href="http://www.mudstacle.com/" target="_blank"> Mudstacle </a>forum and other mud running websites, as well as one of the guys who heads up <a href="http://www.obstacleracingmagazine.co.uk/" target="_blank">Obstacle Racing Magazine UK </a>(if you fancy doing OCRs, <a href="https://confirmsubscription.com/h/r/D108AA7514075A02" target="_blank">subscribe</a> to the mag, it's free and has great articles and offers). <br />
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All in all there were 15 of us, including assistant coach and Spartan Sprint champ Thomas Blanc, and Head Coach Michael Cohen, heading off to attack the 4 hours of training; training that would make us Spartan Fit, Spartan Safe, Spartan Ready. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDe0WHtpIBHX109ixQ14omMAJFtE38h-D5Ta66xh2NUIIKcKbGJLX1nSWnGLEF_SLasyz8wNaFEO88jEam-zYVAOXu9EWgzpkelkF0qtllFuwSFpkpTFPN7CxEyOVkJTepcxFai9jeQYA/s1600/8803_613839315294692_1119362108_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDe0WHtpIBHX109ixQ14omMAJFtE38h-D5Ta66xh2NUIIKcKbGJLX1nSWnGLEF_SLasyz8wNaFEO88jEam-zYVAOXu9EWgzpkelkF0qtllFuwSFpkpTFPN7CxEyOVkJTepcxFai9jeQYA/s320/8803_613839315294692_1119362108_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-training brief with Head Coach Michael Cohen</td></tr>
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We were given a pre-training briefing where we were given a little of the ethos behind the Spartan Race series, and the obligatory, 'If I say Spartans, you shout AROO!' lesson . Having already lost my Sparkle last year, I have witness first hand the teamwork and camaraderie that comes with taking part in mud runs/OCRs and that camaraderie was going to be instilled further by the training we were about to take part in. Then after our team photo with obligatory AROO! it was time to set off.<br />
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First up we were introduced to our new best friend: a 6 foot log that we had to keep hold for the duration of the training session. Taken on a warm up jog, with postural reinforcement, general centre of mass explanations, and reminders to swap shoulders to maintain balance and work our weaker side, I soon realised that my fitness levels were going to be really tested, more so than they have been in a while. I have to admit to all my geek friends, I did utter the immortal line, 'Spartan come back with your log, or on it'. Well, it had to be done!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzDiO5YWBHT50l9NQYl-Ybff9Y7AH5UhlpkFmMbd_VuI2zGamBAxWDyHGqSkYUYQsrFqCekNEWYPm8YaLEUgOPz_1vudMVUb_JKI0IxZSNye9hdpO9SalEOcTjuQucD03PI05dFjoYS8/s1600/601798_613839811961309_714038103_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWzDiO5YWBHT50l9NQYl-Ybff9Y7AH5UhlpkFmMbd_VuI2zGamBAxWDyHGqSkYUYQsrFqCekNEWYPm8YaLEUgOPz_1vudMVUb_JKI0IxZSNye9hdpO9SalEOcTjuQucD03PI05dFjoYS8/s320/601798_613839811961309_714038103_n.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Head Coach Michael Cohen with his friendly log</td></tr>
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We ran down the main track and soon we were off road and running down into a wooded area. After quite a few weaving runs through the trees, and doing our best not to hit everyone else with the end of our logs, we got to a point where we were introduced to a series of crawling techniques. Bear crawls to help get up steep, muddy embankments and crab crawls to get down steep embankments without ending up with a nasty surprise in your posterior...ooer! Wave after wave of practicing these techniques really made the quads burn and slowly we were starting to get the hang of the Spartan team spirit, with hands to help you get up the steep muddy sides being offered and encouragement of 'get up there, go on'. <br />
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<br />With our logs back on our shoulders, we were off again through the terrain, until we came to an area with logs secured up in the trees and a low line. Here we were to practice our hanging and leg raising skills, all to help with core work and to get us used to the different types of grip we would probably need in different situations. We also were showed how to roll safely in case we tripped whilst on course.That was tricky to get the correct technique for after so much learning to roll for pole dance. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw464pjRtohs20ArJEYFQiTTnDJlNlyTWyvEf-RxL7sUvOjq3W6NHlHJxK7LHdnurJUphRbbn8dquK-KCYFYq5aZwteLODGHrsM7CsyQVI3kxhaN_bGMuI5N7jdbO4XbBDNUuyKpK-_Yw/s1600/971239_613839398628017_2065507766_n.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw464pjRtohs20ArJEYFQiTTnDJlNlyTWyvEf-RxL7sUvOjq3W6NHlHJxK7LHdnurJUphRbbn8dquK-KCYFYq5aZwteLODGHrsM7CsyQVI3kxhaN_bGMuI5N7jdbO4XbBDNUuyKpK-_Yw/s320/971239_613839398628017_2065507766_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crab crawling - get those hips UP!</td></tr>
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Yes, I was automatically, and without thinking, trying to bring a little flare to the roll when really I needed to take all the flare out. After a number of these, Michael asked us to remove all shoes and socks and get barefoot and in touch with ground. <br />
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Barefoot running is interesting and something I quite enjoyed. Granted the area of ground we were on wasn't as treacherous as it could have been, and apart from the ants and spiked chestnut casings, it was actually quite nice underfoot. We then practiced more various animal movements, (these are all things that I am looking forward to doing on my Primal Move course later this month so was good to have a practice in the wild as it were). We did frog leaps up a small incline, monkey hops and then pressed our way down the hill starting in standard press up position but then moving hands and legs in to varying positions so that we forced more lateral movement. <br />
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My favourite part of all mud runs/OCRs tend to be the water obstacles. I feel very much at home in the water, probably comes from growing up close to the sea. I was thrilled that we had river crossing obstacle practice. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">River crossings</td></tr>
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Two options for crossing the river were presented, one where both hands and feet are on ropes so that you are upright and the other a single strap across the river. Unfortunately the bottom rope on the two rope crossing came away mid cross and I have to try a style of crossing called monkeying. I wasn't going to let he water claim me just yet, so channeling my inner stubbornness, I dug in and got over to the other side of the river without ending chest deep in the drink. I did attempt the single rope crossing in the traditional arms and feet up style but got halfway, lost my feet and ended up chest deep in the river. The water was, surprisingly, a pleasant temperature.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Determined Chin!</td></tr>
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After a small run and some more technique practice with our shoes and socks back on, we lifted our logs back on our shoulders and took them across the river. Some followed Michael's example of taking the log across on the two rope crossing, others got in the water and walked across. With more running through various terrain and getting up and down slopes, we then did throwing practice with the logs up a small incline to get used to different ways of throwing, more grip practice and how to safety lift a 6 foot log for throwing, always keeping in mind not to hit the camera man who was furiously taking pictures of the day.<br />
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Our second water obstacle was the river walk, which I loved doing at the Spartan Sprint last year. And with some simple technique instructions from Michael, we were all keeping upright and not sinking in the very muddy and rather soft river bed. The water was a little colder this time but still not unpleasant after you got over the initial chill and reminded your body to regulate it's temperature. After the river walk, to dry off came the last push back up to the base camp. I'm not quite sure how long the run was, I would guess around a kilometer, but it was all up hill and with the log on your shoulder we were close to the end of 4 hours. Our simple instruction for this part: No walking, no stopping, you have to run and if you have to drag your fellow Spartan with you, you do so. We leave no one behind! At this point every muscle in my body was begging me for more glycogen. I had very little left. My runny buddy, Jon had been awesome in support all day and once again stepped up to help. With a constant 'one foot in front of the other Krissie, you've got this' on the left side and a helping hand from Michael in that he grabbed my hand and started running faster pulling me along, I got a little further, I didn't stop. Next thing I realise my log is being taken off my shoulder by Jon for the last 400m and I'm hearing that 'one foot, keep going' - I still owe him a pint or six! Thank you Jon :)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jon, on the right, being a goddamn hero! </td></tr>
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I kept my feet moving in a trot, with the log gone I found I had a little more in the tank and I am thrilled I didn't stop once to walk and made it to the top. I am a little disappointing that I didn't finish with my log and that last 400m is now my target for the next training camp to complete it with log in tow!<br />
<br /> I am inspired by the people I trained with that day. They proved that you can do anything when you put your mind to it. The great thing about the day was that there was no judging of anyone and their abilities. Everyone helped everyone else, we all pitched in and were supportive of each other and complimentary on each persons different sets of skill strengths. It was a joy to be in the company of such like minded people. I felt quite at home.<br />
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After a quick towel off and change, a very welcomed slug of coffee and a flapjack, we all hung around the cars talking about the day and really having a good geek out over mud races. It was at this point I found out that not only were most of these people seasoned runners, most were elite obstacle course racers, and a few were world class competitors in their previous field, including our very own World Champion Triathelete. And you know what? I kept up with them. I may not have been the fastest, or the most agile but I held my own. And Pandora was once again firmly put to sleep back in her box. <br />
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Just over seven years ago I weighed over 18stone and smoked 30 a day, and here I was keeping up with elite athletes who had been training for far more years than I had. I realised that I was that much stronger than I gave myself credit for, was far fitter than I gave myself credit for, and that my stubbornness is a positive. All those worries over not being good enough had dissipated by the end of the first hour. It was tough, it was insane, my shoulders still haven't forgiven me and the bruises are something else (but then with pole bruising my skin is getting used to it) but it was so much fun. The other added bonus, not one twinge from the knee all day. Looks like I have nipped the IT Band issue in the bud finally.<br />
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If you are seriously considering a mud event, be it Sparatn, Tough Mudder, Rock Solid, Zombie Evac etc, I would heartily recommend you get to one of the training days that <a href="http://spartanracetraininguk.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Wild Forest Gym</a> host. It will give you a great insight into how the OCR mentality works and how to get around a course safely and they even do one to one and group sessions. Do check them out.<br />
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Huge thanks to my fellow team mates from the day, it really was a pleasure to meet you all and spend the day training. And massive thanks to Jon, Michael and Thomas. See you some of you in July! AROO! <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June 2nd Advanced Group! AROO!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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All photographs courtesy of Matt Bradshaw and Spartan Race Training UK. AROO!<br />
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-83695515776923766552013-05-08T13:27:00.000+01:002013-05-08T13:27:07.550+01:00One month since self employment, challenges, and life in general.So it's been just over a month since I packed in the old 7:30-6 and became a full time personal trainer and I have to say I think it is the best idea I've ever had. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kq1RkveRdZtFt6EYdcVJUsVp7KOwjdbzA3sax5mJ3wL7GQaycSn-lG2zsO860EcUOBkR5HylmJqoSJvMYOQZ-Kmj_OGzpwRz_HCJxNgRIAMr7D1erZg15Yhxb5AB0G3Y5VGHBgMdKrQ/s1600/image.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-kq1RkveRdZtFt6EYdcVJUsVp7KOwjdbzA3sax5mJ3wL7GQaycSn-lG2zsO860EcUOBkR5HylmJqoSJvMYOQZ-Kmj_OGzpwRz_HCJxNgRIAMr7D1erZg15Yhxb5AB0G3Y5VGHBgMdKrQ/s200/image.jpg" width="200" /></a>I am more focused now, than I have been for a very long time. I have more energy, more spring in my step. I am smiling more than ever and I am happier than I have ever been. It is amazing what giving up your job that you loathe can do for you.<br />
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I currently have a mix of PT and Pole clients and all of them are at different points in their progress, which keeps me on my toes to make their workouts as fun and as interesting as possible. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk3BKH1ZSUB7BzagjkBgVtxUA-v2hRIscyTwNtwFA8OlnmJT9RJGaqIVVrkT4PLaQIHkkXlHHDdAe1ziexqm8RigCebvG2OZA1t0jESXvdHVSD0cNvxeckaEDSVcHubXLyBnY4uiOFoE/s1600/life+is+good+smilie.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSk3BKH1ZSUB7BzagjkBgVtxUA-v2hRIscyTwNtwFA8OlnmJT9RJGaqIVVrkT4PLaQIHkkXlHHDdAe1ziexqm8RigCebvG2OZA1t0jESXvdHVSD0cNvxeckaEDSVcHubXLyBnY4uiOFoE/s200/life+is+good+smilie.jpg" width="200" /></a>The last I thing I want is for their hour with me to become samey. So I'm continuously researching ways to keep things interesting and it keeps it interesting for me too. I tend to try all new exercises out on myself first, so I can really feel what's working where, which in turn helps me to explain it better to my clients. It's a win win really. I am also very blessed that my clients are enjoying it, and keep coming back. They work hard and they make me very proud indeed. Suffice to say, this is the best move I ever did and I love my job so much that it's really not work any more. There is no, 'oh god I need to do this that and the other', it's more 'ooh right, that could be interesting, let's give that a try'. Everything is brighter and generally more positive.<br />
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My eating patterns have been a little squiffy of late, and I have fantastic sweet tooth cravings again but I think this is due to the increase in my own training. I am now able to train three times a week on pole techniques etc so my strength gains there should improve no end as well as regaining my confidence with tricks and inverts. I have also fallen back in love with running, probably helped by the fantastic weather we've had the last two weeks. On top of that I'm doing some strength training (either at the gym or at home) three times a week and I've also added in 20 mins of flexibility every day while doing vocal exercises which is something I had been meaning to do but could never justify the time with the pressure of the day job. It is amazing the sense of freedom I now feel.<br />
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So with the running comes the challenge that is in the title of this 'ere blog. My bestie decided that, with all this running I'm now doing, he would throw down the gauntlet and challenge me to join him in the Nottingham Half Marathon in September. <br />
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After talking to my physio and being further along the rebuilding road from injury than I thought I was, the physio has said there is no reason (unless my knee says otherwise during the training) that I can't do the half marathon in 22 weeks time. He also, after we initially thought June was too soon to attempt a 10km, has cleared me to do 10km at the start of July, again on the proviso that if my knee plays up I cease and drop back to where I was comfortable with my training and slow the increase in distance down. The important thing that I needed to hear was when he commented, 'You are a fitness professional and you know your body better than anyone else, I trust your judgement to be sensible.' A timely reminder that I can't push it too hard and that we all need to listen to our bodies as they will always tell us when something's amiss. He's a top fella. And it's true, if I push my knee too fast too soon and the IT band irritation kicks in, I can't work. I won't be able to demonstrate exercises, it will take at least 4 weeks for my knee to get back to full functionality so that I can demonstrate squats etc and at the moment the last thing I need is to not be able to work. So I'm being very sensible and I've managed to increase my distance to 4.35km without incident. *touches all available items made from wood*. I am getting my own back on the best bud, and he has to join me in a obstacle course race. I'm thinking it might be too mean to get him to do the Spartan Beast (a half marathon with obstacles) but should he wish to embrace the challenge he's welcome to join me.... *throws down my own gauntlet*. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyf6IriW8Vgg7A5QumbJ1mGT-dhsMG-Tk17hlZt4mhBavV6WOBVfhd65UPp5c2j-23vDPl-CptFa8Mr6EGz2CfmU_GgiGJBK-TpW3VRPen0efYam8VEkAbEGmneawbVS7p0GjOG0yPHDY/s1600/breast-cancer-campaign-logo-2.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="73" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyf6IriW8Vgg7A5QumbJ1mGT-dhsMG-Tk17hlZt4mhBavV6WOBVfhd65UPp5c2j-23vDPl-CptFa8Mr6EGz2CfmU_GgiGJBK-TpW3VRPen0efYam8VEkAbEGmneawbVS7p0GjOG0yPHDY/s200/breast-cancer-campaign-logo-2.jpg" width="200" /></a>I will be running the Nottingham Half for Breast Cancer Campaign in honour of my cousin Mads who is doing well from her fight against breast cancer. And as usual I'll be running the Race for Life in July (this is my 10km race, possibly with CJ again or if she's unable to make the same race she'll be running the Cardiff 10km RFL) and I'll be posting the links to the sponsor pages soon.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1zngOj71XMC5W8ACLKwaOY-GtMfea-0q8SHuMIyikB1zV8B2m47C1nJJPlG5bG09H-P4Ypk3NyZDlF7iWPy1F5RuX97DaVjFgu3EEPvIzHOQ-Mw7NSfTcm4c6l1WCHTcQmJXUeAb0a0/s1600/race-for-life-compositelogo.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1zngOj71XMC5W8ACLKwaOY-GtMfea-0q8SHuMIyikB1zV8B2m47C1nJJPlG5bG09H-P4Ypk3NyZDlF7iWPy1F5RuX97DaVjFgu3EEPvIzHOQ-Mw7NSfTcm4c6l1WCHTcQmJXUeAb0a0/s200/race-for-life-compositelogo.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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As for life in general, all is good. I love my new career and have had a great session with one of my new clients this morning. She's done exceptionally well and was happy to give everything a try once. I absolutely am in love with life at the moment. I have some pole niggles I need to work out, still having issues with my confidence in my inverts that I really need to punch through and get to grips with (pun intended). But otherwise, I am having a ball. Next step is to start the bootcamp training sessions up in my local area, although I have since discovered that the seafront is awash with people doing bootcamps, so forest based bootcamps for my clients it shall be, should be fun either way. And hopefully I'll be doing some cover of classes for my local leisure centers.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tZkcy2kTUqUiJSHLRzWsqO1HJcmxyQDhZDElbK0JS6eF53iQR490ZIVIggg1pTuEEXw8hOdu_mQZDT0HNVKeZ7bwKOS5X7KKKTSD7Co0tp9gWCv5pmwNnoUl0M6zFYkTMEqv-qP3hjE/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tZkcy2kTUqUiJSHLRzWsqO1HJcmxyQDhZDElbK0JS6eF53iQR490ZIVIggg1pTuEEXw8hOdu_mQZDT0HNVKeZ7bwKOS5X7KKKTSD7Co0tp9gWCv5pmwNnoUl0M6zFYkTMEqv-qP3hjE/s200/be-kind.jpg" width="129" /></a>As always, be kind to yourself, you rock!<br />
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Krissie<br />
xx<br />
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-79213414713723519052013-04-05T19:48:00.000+01:002013-04-05T19:48:02.221+01:00O Brave New World...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was going to title this blog 'When one door closes...' but to be honest, it's me who has closed the door to open a great big french window on a brave new world. So to say when every door closes another opens would be slightly misleading in the context of this post.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farewell desk job!</td></tr>
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Today I have handed back the keys to my lonely office. I have taken all my posters down, packed up my posessions in three large boxes and removed my kitchen gagetry from the corner, where they have been for the last 2 and half years. As I cleared out the office this week, I found things that I had brought with me from the last office that I'd not looked at in all that time. Needless to say, there has been a lot of decluttering going on, and I have found it so very cathartic, almost as though I am cleansing the stress that this place has imbude upon me from my whole system.<br />
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While the job has been great in terms of money and experience within the office and the Higher Education environment, it has also been slowly sapping all the joy out of the bulk of my day. I have to be honest, I had come to seriously dislike the person it was turning me into. I suppose I have learned that to be happy, I do not need material things that a well paid job will bring. I have more spring in my step now that I know I will be helping other people change their lifestyle habits with food and exercise; that hopefully some of my passion for fitness and activity will rub off on those who employ me to beast them in the gym/outdoors on a regular basis.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5cWWtDRVVagtbA3QaC_i11d7N9ZuLrQzN86AVsr1klC8ACS8jpmstjaajO4Ip55SCSsffUqM-mPy1rEfxxLs1MWt9AAxzGdZwwF_PBJegqOnaHxrLQ37aZ9x3j-WU5TDXmmUJOuvY0Pg/s1600/happy_success_and_happiness-300x270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5cWWtDRVVagtbA3QaC_i11d7N9ZuLrQzN86AVsr1klC8ACS8jpmstjaajO4Ip55SCSsffUqM-mPy1rEfxxLs1MWt9AAxzGdZwwF_PBJegqOnaHxrLQ37aZ9x3j-WU5TDXmmUJOuvY0Pg/s200/happy_success_and_happiness-300x270.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's to making it memorable :)</td></tr>
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For years, while I was on this journey of re-self discovery, I strived to find where my happiness lay and I think that it is something all of us, at some point in our lives, will go through (not necessarily the weight loss but definitely the seeking of happiness). I honestly thought that by losing some weight I would suddenly turn into a happy person and be completely content with my life. And for a little while it did and I was. Once the inital 'yes I'm now a normal weight' honeymoon had worn off, I realised that I was still as miserable as sin on the inside. No matter what I was doing, I was just desperately unhappy. Now I had to look less on the surface and start really doing some hard work on the inside. And that was when the lightbulb moment hit. Work was making me unhappy. Every day I would whine about things that had happened at the office or that someone had done that, while to me common sense said otherwise, they had done the exact opposite. I realised that I was at the head of culture change in an environment that didn't necessarily want it. Now for those who know me well, you will know that change is something that doesn't frighten me in the slightest. If it did I wouldn't have lost the amount of weight I had, and I would be still sat on the sofa indulging in 6000+ calorie meal on a Friday night. I had to accept that while I embrace and welcome change, others view it with distrust and in some cases distain and no matter waht I did to help make the change easier to swallow, it was fought against in such a way that the anger and frustration was directed at me on a continuous basis.And that was where the unhappiness stemmed from. While I know their anger, frustration etc wasn't about me as a person it got to a point where it had become too much.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1nL6oihGe22QjLeQrmNwG_H12PPr8kK-OiOw6Np1UStmEh0q2aKQNdq4bSLfR0EsqnAz-6RXY3ifv2Ln05NuKsQU-L2A0VDFoUafqorTfXEij-aQ3LcWh3_gi21EXC5GBIOll6LOwzo/s1600/keep-calm-im-a-personal-trainer-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1nL6oihGe22QjLeQrmNwG_H12PPr8kK-OiOw6Np1UStmEh0q2aKQNdq4bSLfR0EsqnAz-6RXY3ifv2Ln05NuKsQU-L2A0VDFoUafqorTfXEij-aQ3LcWh3_gi21EXC5GBIOll6LOwzo/s200/keep-calm-im-a-personal-trainer-2.png" width="171" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That still makes me grin like an idiot</td></tr>
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This realisation that change was the over arching factor, lead me to look at what change I really needed to make to find my own happiness. After a set to with a colleauge one summer and really assessing what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be in life, i realised I had to sit back and take stock. And I think that is something everyone must do at somepoint in life. Whether it instigates a massive life changing event or just allows us to continue on the knowldge that we are excatly where we should be is neither here nor there. The important thing is that we are able to accertain that we are happy or not. If we are happy, more power to us, and if not then a change, on some scale, needs to happen. For me a big change needed to happen. I needed to find my bliss, something that would make me wake up looking forward to the day, not filled with dread and loathing. And boy have I found it.<br />
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I start officially on Monday (April 8th) when the final website goes live (only 16 months after I purchased the domain) but I'm already excited. I have 3 clients already, and a few more that are meeting me to see if I'm the trainer for them. And while I have been offered jobs at gyms (and big gyms at that), I don't think that is the path for me. I joke a lot about wanting KrissieKirby.com to be a global brand name.... but what if it was? I may as well give it a shot, because what do I have to lose? Nothing really, but everything to gain. And I have never been one to live by 'what if'.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s200/be-kind.jpg" width="129" /></a>So the door on the office has closed, and here I am, hands on the push plate, ready to throw open the french doors on a brave new world.<br />
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This should be fun, hard work and long hours, but fun.<br />
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Be kind to yourself, as always<br />
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Krissie<br />
xx<br />
<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-58568013220483245132013-04-02T11:38:00.001+01:002013-04-02T14:07:47.071+01:00Slip not slide<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLS25rFOVc0oBVdAhEka4UdPMQQxS_7lIbqk5-yyj_2khFgrM9Eg8cRlgD3HwHNOFrbK7Tj6YjfzznCdjs4yDbN99vwppDbvLp40kihlhUj2RiQu4d-panFy0bwvIb3o05ncCdl2__PGo/s1600/scream+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLS25rFOVc0oBVdAhEka4UdPMQQxS_7lIbqk5-yyj_2khFgrM9Eg8cRlgD3HwHNOFrbK7Tj6YjfzznCdjs4yDbN99vwppDbvLp40kihlhUj2RiQu4d-panFy0bwvIb3o05ncCdl2__PGo/s200/scream+face.jpg" width="197" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Argh, I slipped!</td></tr>
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This weekend I over indulged. I freely admit that this Easter Weekend was a time where my brain and I fell out and emotional/boredom eating won out. I haven't eaten that much chocolate in a long, long time or drank that much cider and though I enoyed consuming every last morsel at the time, by late Sunday evening I was sick of the sight of chocolate.<br />
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And sometimes we need to have that binge, that blow out weekend where we say 'to hell with it, I'm in this mood and I need this and this'. That's fine. In fact, that's only human. The trick is to recognise it and stop the slip becoming a slide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSB9eENLr5z7KQUgFBbEVTUbMpjDIMJMnbcnFT3px3TSEKi2jAK_vBr_N1QvOgiubuwupuglcShbK5cCVgldANDZTgsobj8Bnr1HBgQzHaQmEDeVW3hmVu3tRUKgwnqXjVUQ8EvEgQzI/s1600/sugar_demon.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVSB9eENLr5z7KQUgFBbEVTUbMpjDIMJMnbcnFT3px3TSEKi2jAK_vBr_N1QvOgiubuwupuglcShbK5cCVgldANDZTgsobj8Bnr1HBgQzHaQmEDeVW3hmVu3tRUKgwnqXjVUQ8EvEgQzI/s200/sugar_demon.gif" width="190" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get thee behind me Sugar monster!</td></tr>
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Pandora was back with her usual snipes too. And my skin has told me what it thinks of the extra sugar in no uncertain terms, and thought I had the intention to do lots of working out my poor, tired, brain just didn't want to. So, in true fashion, I sucked it up like a grown up and I put my trainers and kit on and headed to the gym early Saturday morning, for the first time since February (I can't wait to get in there more now the main bulk of studying is over). And I felt MUCH better for it. Sunday OH and I, with a bevy of polers and pals, all sauntered off to the local wetlands centre for a long walk, and much silliness followed by the feeding of a LOT of ducks. Again having done some activity I felt a great deal better, and being out in the sun was much needed. It does make a difference when you spend half your time couped up.<br />
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Yesterday I intended on going to the gym but found the programme I had written for myself was doable on the equipment I have at home. So a full 1hr 30 min session with long stretch was done and the gym room cleaned ready for my first clients next week. I also gave myself a stern talking to and reminded myself that although this weekend had been over indulgent, it was just one weekend out of 52 and that I obviously needed to cave to emotional eating. March proved to be a tough old month with Easter weekend as my only real weekend off, and even then it wasn't a true weekend off as the business kicks off next week so much was done to move towards the launch.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsSoLJASL2AJ0gKP1yQcqqnH-jcq5jW0sULJJ_eAUPDDJ6sc-x3v-tFd2DBugBX_oXUIjeBqjtKoGLA-I10TTCAxoG1M01Kk_iwaxoI0Z7ACUwFY4kZU8YqO5B8bq4zjLntBUiKF11KU/s1600/ok-to-start-again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsSoLJASL2AJ0gKP1yQcqqnH-jcq5jW0sULJJ_eAUPDDJ6sc-x3v-tFd2DBugBX_oXUIjeBqjtKoGLA-I10TTCAxoG1M01Kk_iwaxoI0Z7ACUwFY4kZU8YqO5B8bq4zjLntBUiKF11KU/s200/ok-to-start-again.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It really is ok to start over!</td></tr>
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That being said, I recognised that I was having a slip up from my usual healthy eating habits and that's fine. It's part and parcel of healthy eating. When you adopt a healthy lifestyle, you will get instances where you stumble off the plan you've set for yourself, and that's fine, it's going to happen. Life's stresses get in the way and there will be times when you just need to have a blow out in whatever manner it takes. Just don't let it continue on for too long or you'll slide back into old habits and undo all the good work you've done. This isn't a diet, this isn't something we pick up and put down then harrang ourselves with because we failed. There is no failure in healthy living, there are just slips every now and then, and we learn to recognise they are needed. There is lots of trail and error, and figuring out what works for you and how you can plan your time to make things work. But that's not failure in the form we usualy recognise, it's the type of failure that preceeds success because some parts of the attempt worked. All we do now is refine the process until it works for us, because everyone is different in their mindset. There can never be one size fits all, we are all so very different. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZMBhCf6QEUqDcmPE4pPqVw2xB_x5FYjecTxIQRk-kpRXfqvxUKq9IsTkN-4HGbe6yZlxpS7xeL9_1UZilnj5WjmMCKof6kui7URVdkx2_Vo5VIk-gX4CJwnd8SwXtGgrYpGF8a4Q8REE/s1600/good+job.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZMBhCf6QEUqDcmPE4pPqVw2xB_x5FYjecTxIQRk-kpRXfqvxUKq9IsTkN-4HGbe6yZlxpS7xeL9_1UZilnj5WjmMCKof6kui7URVdkx2_Vo5VIk-gX4CJwnd8SwXtGgrYpGF8a4Q8REE/s200/good+job.jpg" width="144" /></a>So yesterday my emotional eating trigger got a bollocking, and today I feel far more positive and back to my usual happy self. I've had my slip, got a little bruised from the fall, and picked myself up, dusted myself off and looking towards a bright shiny new week....my last one in the full time grind (that might also explain the week starting out in a very positive fashion ;) )<br />
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So slip, don't slide, give yourself a break for having the slip, mark it down to one of those days and then get back on then healthy wagon as quickly as you can. You will soon notice the slips become far less frequent andthe slide non-existant.<br />
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Have a great week all and as always, be kind to yourself<br />
<br />
Krissie<br />
xx<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s320/be-kind.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-84056203196000735512013-03-05T16:22:00.000+00:002013-03-05T17:07:02.481+00:00Following your dream......<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxGhN4oFjsIZ1uUNXbMcQEUv0XnMmaDlUT-ew63joUcH0Tc0cJB282FhBWTjbOtT3UdOkvM94JtMPnH3d9Hs2MzbrIrq6gprZ5OuoeJwSMQu3y1Yh6ElZztGSMQ6uJCM-uDSyq9o-hEk/s1600/dream+big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFxGhN4oFjsIZ1uUNXbMcQEUv0XnMmaDlUT-ew63joUcH0Tc0cJB282FhBWTjbOtT3UdOkvM94JtMPnH3d9Hs2MzbrIrq6gprZ5OuoeJwSMQu3y1Yh6ElZztGSMQ6uJCM-uDSyq9o-hEk/s200/dream+big.jpg" width="200" /></a>So today I resigned from my 9-5 desk job (or, as it has been recently, 7:30 - 6). This is a huge step, this a definite leap into the unknown. But it's been something that I know I've been heading towards for the best part of two years.</div>
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When I started this blog I was already getting questions from people on Facebook, about how I had lost the weight and what I recommended. That gave me the inital idea for No More Mrs Fatty McFat; a hope that by documenting my weightloss and the pitfalls, highs, the education I gained etc that there would be information enough for someone to find and say 'That's what I needed to hear, that's the same as what I tried' etc. I realised through answering some of the emails and comments that I got through, that there was a plethora of people (not just women) that wanted someone who understood what they were going through to help give them some solid advice. Most had said that when they have joined a gym, some lythe young adult not long from Sports Science degree at Uni was asigned as their inductor at the gym. The person that they were trying to get to understand their issues had never been fat, had never suffered the utter deflation that these people had, and to them it was exceptionally off putting. Many never went back to the gym after that inital induction and are debating still if they should return.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSli0VreQZruWEu5KEl9i9PuMsW7-SGTNoX0oKmpZDhiE9l05U0KcVm7saAxBD1df7fcST57Le1GY5F6mjbLN4aeo0jP_39FlOEnH9M-tzIVIcG6zKGWq9-sA6A4qIV5h6eAKeemwnrp0/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSli0VreQZruWEu5KEl9i9PuMsW7-SGTNoX0oKmpZDhiE9l05U0KcVm7saAxBD1df7fcST57Le1GY5F6mjbLN4aeo0jP_39FlOEnH9M-tzIVIcG6zKGWq9-sA6A4qIV5h6eAKeemwnrp0/s200/image.jpg" width="200" /></a>I realised that I had a vantage point that the Instructors these people had been to didn't have. I have been obese, I have battled with the voices in my head that tell me I'd never be good enough, I have had those 3am binges where you eat until you are sick, I have had the angry screams at myself for allowing myself to become so hideous that I was afraid to leave the house. I have been there, and I remember all too well what it is like to be that scared, unhappy person. So in August 2011, I decided I wanted to change my career. I had changed jobs the year previous with a promotion of sorts in work. The job was very well paid but exceptionally stressful, often lonely and at certain points of the year had long hours (the height of festival season no less, so that scuppered the band a little) and I was utterly miserable. I had spent so long on sorting my health out that now my inner peace and joy was being sucked out of me by the one thing that I felt I had no control over. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHild9kBlWBvz0Aq3XBfTovLTsNYoddcG8qfkA5yaMvFnxVADLCsfWy-a28XVvFa2flcvQF4WgX6eST5iqDggUSOQ3bu5oOoC58HE0g_FzcG-wYlsPnhBdBY6IXc7Ch7CldmHXxS7wMs/s1600/images-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHild9kBlWBvz0Aq3XBfTovLTsNYoddcG8qfkA5yaMvFnxVADLCsfWy-a28XVvFa2flcvQF4WgX6eST5iqDggUSOQ3bu5oOoC58HE0g_FzcG-wYlsPnhBdBY6IXc7Ch7CldmHXxS7wMs/s200/images-1.jpeg" width="200" /></a>Wrong! And I know fine well that that was wrong. Had I not taken back control of my health? Was I now just putting those fears onto something different? Yes, yes I was. That August, after a rather turse few words with a colleague that left me in a bit of an emotional state, I sat with OH and confessed how unhappy I was with my work life. That I had no joy in the bulk of my day as I sat behind a desk, lifelessly inputting, sorting and arranging data; that ultimately I felt as though I was being suffocated from the inside and needed to refocus my life. We sat and made a pros and cons list about giving up my job and the pros serverely outweighed the cons. We talked at length about whether we could afford to drop to one income for a while, while I worked on building a client base etc, and I often have wondered if that was a selfish thing to ask of OH and a lot of responsibility to place on his shoulders. But as he always tells me, we are a team, and when one of us needs to pick up the slack to ensure the other is back to a happy medium, then so be it. (He's pretty awesome). The decision was made. I was going to re-train and become a Personal Trainer. </div>
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After much working out of finances, I realised that although I would have liked to have finished in the job sooner, March 2013 was going to be the goal. So the plan went into action. For the best part of 18 months, I have retrained so that I can offer an all round package for a variety of disciplines. I am a qualified Gym Instructor, I am a qualifed Pole Instructor, I can take small group training and am in the process of completeing the final modules for the Certificate in Personal Training as well as the Exercise to Music qualification so I can teach the myriad of cardio and strength based larger group classes that are out there. I have done it, I have taken a dream that came from something I had once thought would never be, could never be me. I want other people to feel what this feels like, that you can take back the control on your health and ultimately your life. It's a pretty amazing feeling.</div>
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I was very touched the other day to get the following message from a friend, someone I met through a hobby:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9_HrBgt_z5Ibtv3QjVMuD_kseBO6M5FPdMtlCHrTkRmCnKaDNOqYhAGlgTYGL7Nf8ovSlxC5VR8tCHtOa2X_tvKSyTvLJQgVcS7gMxlW9avPC54J82TSrrZpmEVPsXsFcC2CyWWQeCI/s1600/change+1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9_HrBgt_z5Ibtv3QjVMuD_kseBO6M5FPdMtlCHrTkRmCnKaDNOqYhAGlgTYGL7Nf8ovSlxC5VR8tCHtOa2X_tvKSyTvLJQgVcS7gMxlW9avPC54J82TSrrZpmEVPsXsFcC2CyWWQeCI/s200/change+1.jpeg" width="176" /></a><em>Today I had a University interview, and they asked me to talk about someone who inspried me, and what I feel I could learn from them. I told them about you, how you've changed your life in such a great way, and are now living the life you dreamed of. I told them how inspired I've been by your determination, your kick-ass enthusiasm and how you don't let yourself be the cause of your own failure (by not making excuses to work out etc.) You really show the rest of us how it's done, that if you want something and are prepared to work hard enough anything is possible. Thanks so much for that.</em></div>
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How awesome is that? I'm so touched that she thought of me for that answer, and I'm fiercely proud that she's following her dream, and requalifying in what she honestly wishes to do. Go Girl! It's hard to say, 'right that's it, I'm throwing off the security blanket and giving this a shot'. But if you have things in place and support from wonderful people, (my friend has her partner's full support also, which is fantastic), and you can cleary make a run for it, then do so. Life is far too short to spend thinking 'what if...'. Take it by the horns, life is meant to be lived. And if you read this and think 'there is no way I could do that', then's that's fine, too. Sometimes the timing isn't right, sometimes we have to go a little further along the path to really see the exit. But never say, never!</div>
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I'm not so naive as to think that I will walk out of this job and straight into a 10 clients, 4 bootcamps, 10 pole students a week lifestyle. Oh no, I'm not that green! I know it's going to be tough. I know that I'm going to be working most of the day to drum up business and teaching very little to start, but eventually it will even out. I know running my own business will be a challenge (I have been self-employed before) but I'm looking forward to it. Most of all, I'm looking forward to not having to think of something to make me smile when I get up in the morning, as there will be plenty to smile about.</div>
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So here's to the next chapter, it all starts on April 8th 2013!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" jsa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s200/be-kind.jpg" width="129" /></a>Be kind to yourself, as always</div>
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Much Love</div>
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Krissie</div>
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Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-87244456601990358142013-02-16T09:51:00.001+00:002013-02-16T10:14:05.719+00:00Happy 2nd Birthday blog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Wow hasn't the time flown? Two whole years. This little corner of the web that I started two years ago has grown fairly consistently, so thank you to everyone who has shared my ramblings, the articles and all the general information that spews forth from this adled brain. I love reading your comments and hope that some of the information I share is of use.</div>
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What started as a project to keep myself accountable to my continuation of a better me (in health and in character) has grown into something much more than that. It's something I am fiercely proud of and something that continues to bring me great joy on a weekly basis. I say it everytime and mean it with earnest, that I will maintain this blog with more regularity, but alas time has gotten the better of my yet again. Hopefully with the launch of the full new venture on April 8th (a date for the diary) I will be posting far more regularly and incorporating a new look to these pages.</div>
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I will explain more about the new venture when certain things are in place (I know, I'm such a tease). But for now I want to look back at the last couple of months and share what's been going on. It's been a tad on the busy side.</div>
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Since the launch of the album the <a href="http://www.triaxis.info/" target="_blank">band</a> hasn't really stopped. Even in our down time, we managed to maintain momentum with the album and do as much promotional work as we could. We had a feature in Metal Hammer, had lots of airplay of the new tracks and announced the 2013 leg of the Rage and Retribution tour, Oh and we also got announced for some festivals and as support to Queensryche (I'm super chuffed with that one as I grew up headbanging to those guys).<br />
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Over Christmas, Mr K and I proved you could workout anywhere as we were visiting my parent's (who have retired to Spain), getting some much needed vitamin D courtesy of that giant nuclear explosion called the Sun, and using the local park to do all sorts of crazy workouts. My parents are very lucky, in that that the park right next door to their house has football pitches, tennis courts, bleachers, basketball courts and more, making it a fitness buff's dream come true to get a good workout in on a regular basis. The Spartan WODs came in handy for me to get to grips with training in different environments (which will come in very useful when I take that module next month to finish off my PT training). I passed my Level 3 Advanced Training Approches and Anatomy and Physiology modules, and also my Beginner Pole Instructor qualification and I'm coming up to my assessment for my Exercise to Music, and the last two modules for the Level 3. So all is on course to have completed all the main qualifications by the end of March. I must admit to being utterly in love with training others to find their soul mate workouts, to find somehing that inspires them to be healthy. It's quite a fulfilling job.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5wiUoH2XNGpU51ta97Mw1uNODJj3MB9GfiEe0pjT87Hp61TrAKYQ1LQCXsqtYp70PxHoDu6ssMRnooUobT7tbSysqG-HiOOgUi5QQL015CgMbF9Xnb7eqa84ALoXVAd9CIc67uh71UY/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5wiUoH2XNGpU51ta97Mw1uNODJj3MB9GfiEe0pjT87Hp61TrAKYQ1LQCXsqtYp70PxHoDu6ssMRnooUobT7tbSysqG-HiOOgUi5QQL015CgMbF9Xnb7eqa84ALoXVAd9CIc67uh71UY/s200/image.jpg" width="200" /></a>I have purchased a weights bench and some spinlock vinyl, sand-filled weights, for my home gym, which have already proved invaluable. So when I've been working late and get home I can get a fairly heavy lifting session in without having to go to the gym. There are absolutely no excuses for me not to workout anymore. I have so much home equipment now, that to not workout is not an option unless it's a rest day (and everyone MUST take rest days or you are going to injure yourself), or when my parents are visiting as they take over the basement. For those days I can just use my local gym. I am really looking forward to ramping up my client base and being able to offer so many different training methods to get the best possible results. It's something that I think every Personal Trainer should be able to do, offer a wide variety of training methods as one size doesn't fit all and if I can make working out as fun as possible then my clients are going to see quicker results.</div>
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As for the weight loss, well, I'm not worried about it anymore. I do weight myself periodically but more than anything it's what I'm eating that I've noticed has the biggest effect on how I feel. If I have chips from the chippy, I generally feel sluggish for the rest of the evening. If I eat a lot of chocolate (I do have some as I quite enjoy it still but nowhere near the amount I was having and not everyday either), the sugar crash is so horrendous that it's just not worth me having more than a few grams. My eating is very clean these days. At the start of January I invested in the KiFit bodybugg to monitor my everyday energy expenditure and sleeping patterns. I have discovered that even though I may be lying down for 7-8 hours a night, I'm actually only getting between 3 -4 hours sleep, and even then it's sporadic and not all in one consistent block. At most I get a full hour unbroken sleep. It is little wonder that I wake up feeling dreadful. And that is also impacting on my physical wellbeing, as I'm not getting sufficient rest. So to ensure that I am getting more beneficial sleep, I am trying not to use my phone or iPad before bed, and I'm using the time to do my reading and research the old fashioned way, via a good book. Something else that the bodybugg pointed out was that I wasn't eating enough. Yes really! I am far more active than I thought, which is a very good thing of course, but as I'd not being fuelling myself sufficiently then my body had reacted adversely. Now I'm more mindful of how I can pad out my meals and am far more mindful of my snacks and the body fat has decreased, and my energy levels are through the roof. So it's all going in the right direction.<br />
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Something that struck me last night, as I got ready to go to a community gala evening, is how seriously comfortable in my own skin I have become. Don't misunderstand me, it's been a tough old journey and I still have those days where I think 'urgh', but now it doesn't matter what people think of me or how they view me. I am happy with me, and sure there are little things I think could be improved but isn't that the measure of success? I've stopped comparing myself to others, because it doesn't matter, it really doesn't. I'm me, and no one else is. The only person I need to compare myself to was the person I was yesterday and even then it's not about how I look, it's about how I act. I've completed what I initially set out to do and that was to get healthy and to lose weight. My goals are vastly different now. I still want to be the best me that I can be, of course, and increase my own strength to show to myself what my body can achieve but I'm more concerned with how I am as a person and how I treat those around me. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We make mud look damned good!</td></tr>
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So things that are coming up in 2013! Mr K and I have got our Season Passes for the Spartan Race UK this year. That will be kicking off in August and hopefully we will be completing the Trifecta in November finishing with the Beast (a half marathon with so many obstacles it's not funny, but I love it!). We hope to do at least 2 of the Zombie Evacuation runs, as they were great fun last year. There may even be a Tough Mudder in there somewhere if we have the time. I have some ideas for projects that I will start once the new venture has launched (April 8th remember), and I will be starting to teach one to one pole lessons from home for a while as well to build that up, as well as improve my own training and technique when it comes to pole. It's all go presently, and to top it all off we're back on tour with the band which makes me even happier. Always the performer ;). I'm so busy I don't sit still for more than a few seconds, unless I'm writing a blog of course. And you know I wouldn't have it any other way, I am loving life right now and long may it continue. </div>
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htpp://www.krissiekirby.com </div>
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Be kind to yourself, always</div>
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Much Love</div>
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Krissie</div>
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Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-27841410970398311312013-01-06T23:23:00.001+00:002013-01-07T12:02:37.055+00:00That's one off the Bucket ListLast year when OH's cousin Jim passed away at the very young age of 36, it really brought it home that life is short. Yes it really is, if you stop and think about it for a few moments. How quickly has 2012 gone by? Have you noticed that as you are getting older, the time seems to move much faster? Have you found yourself remarking that 'crumbs, 2013 came around awful quick'? That's life being short, that's life moving fast and if we're not careful there will be things we wanted to do but 'didn't find the time for'...I really dislike that excuse. So it frustrates me when people say, oh life isn't short at all. In the grand scheme of things, yes it is, we are here for a fleeting moment so let's make the most of it!<br />
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Sorry, getting on my soap box again, aren't I?<br />
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Where was I? Oh yes, so after Jim passed away, I decided to finally make a list of all the things I wanted to try, and to carry on adding to it. I have started to put them on a board on my <a href="http://pinterest.com/krissiekirby/" target="_blank">Pinterest </a>account (feel free to have a browse around my mad pinnings if you're a Pinterest pinner). One of the ones on my written list was rock climbing.<br />
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I have a very rational fear of falling and hitting the ground as a sloppy mess, I dislike heights for the most part as well but this is something that I know I can get over with some work, the fear of falling though I'm not so sure. CJ and I were looking for something different to do as part of my belated birthday treat. The downside of having a birthday so close to Christmas is that it's usually difficult to get everyone together to do something, as we're gigging or there are office parties, or a myriad of other things... oh and Christmas itself of course. So I tend to not really bother celebrating my birthday, but this last year I decided it's worth doing something to mark the occasion, even if I have to leave it a month or so.<br />
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So we had decide we would try rock climbing, and as luck would have a coupon for a sizeable discount appeared in our inboxes from one of those coupon companies the very next day. I rang the climbing centre and instead of £12 for a taster, it was £5 each. Wonderful, it appears the Universe agreed that we should go and give it a try. (I love little signals like that, coincidence or not, it doesn't matter I still take it as a sign it's the right move). <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Three of the walls we climbed.</td></tr>
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Off we went to Boulders in Cardiff to have an hour and half taster session of indoor climbing. And you know something it wasn't as bad as we anticipated. Neither of us froze on the wall. Neither of us screamed to be taken down. And although some of the climbs were more difficult than others, we attempted them all and did the best we could. And that's something to be very proud of, by both of us for both of us. We didn't give up, we didn;t stand hands on hip looking blankly at the wall thinking 'there is no whay we can do this'. Oh no, we took the walls on and no matter what we were going to keep giving it a go.<br />
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It's the first 'done that' on that bucket list. And why not? Life is meant to be lived, enjoyed and filled to the brim with the good stuff. In my last entry, I talked about celebrating the little things, and this is one of those things that I can now look back on and say 'I did that, I took on a fear of mine and I proved I can do anything'. We celebrated as only we girls know how, with a coffee anda small slice of cake for me and a panini for CJ, and talked about all the other stuff that we want to do together and with our respective OHs.<br />
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Sometimes we have to go out of our comfort zone to truly know what we are capable of, and you may surprise yourself at how strong, determined, and daring you can be. So the bucket list is filling up with the crazy, the cool, the scary and the silly and I'm looking forward to ticking more off.<br />
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Until next time, be kind to yourselves<br />
Krissie<br />
XxKrissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-62969684623764812902013-01-05T10:58:00.000+00:002013-01-05T11:22:38.162+00:00Celebrate the little things...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Happy New Year. I hope you all had a wonderful festive season?</div>
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So this entry started as a Facebook update, but I soon realised I had more to say than a status update will allow, as usual, so here is a quick blog. <br />
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I had a great session in the gym last night. After all the trouble with my IT band irritation and all the recovery I've done for that, then hyper extending my hamstring before Christmas, I was very worried that I would have lost a lot more strength than I have. As a few of you may have read, when I developed IT band irritation and it persisted, I was told to rest by my physio and to cease with heavy lifting in favour of body weight exercises in what is known as active recovery. Knowing very well that all I would be able to do is maintain cardio fitness by swimming and easing back into running, I took his advice and knew that it would be better to return with a lower weight and rebuild my strength back up as I would have lost quite a bit of strength over the 9 weeks of recovery that I eventually took. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The deadlift</td></tr>
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So, walking into the gym last night night, I approached the Smith Machine with the intention of working out my 1 rep max for all my free weight exercises (for those of you who are unsure what that it, it is the maximum amount of weight you can lift in one repetition, with good form, but know that you can't lift that same weight for a second time without sacrificing form). I would have preferred a free bar that you can add plates too, but my gym doesn't have one, only pre weighted barbells that stop at 40kg which are brilliant for when I do my sets. Working out my 1RM is important. It helps me gage where I am in my strength but also allows me to set my weight correctly for the style of resistance system that I use on a given day (there are many styles in setting your sets believe it or not). Imagine my delight that, even though I have dropped all my heavy lifting down to almost half of where it was when I took time off to recover, I was still able to dead lift more than my own body weight. I thought I was dead lifting my actual body weight, when I tweeted my delight last night, but actually looking at my weight chart this morning (I'm doing a body analysis thing which I'll explain in my next blog), I am dead lifting over my body weight and weight less than I though (cue huge grin). I am also back to almost my heaviest in the back squat. To say I'm thrilled is an understatement. I admit I high fived the OH and then did a very girly jump and dance about the gym, much to the amusement of everyone else.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A very girly dance</td></tr>
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For you numbers people: I weigh 74.8kg and I lifted 77.5kg in plates on the bar (not including the bar weight as it's not marked so I have no idea how much that weighs, so I'll just go solely on plates until I move to a gym with a 10 or 15kg free bar). I am beyond delighted. I honestly thought I would have lost far more strength than I have. It also means that I can now increase my weight correctly for the sets I want to do, and ensure I'm not cheating myself in going too light. I love lifting heavy, it gives me a real sense of accomplishment and makes me very aware of how my body functions through the movements and how strong the human body is. Now I am fully armed, once again, with all the details to make my workouts as effective as possible.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stop being a slave to the scale. <br />
It's a guide, that's all.</td></tr>
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It's reminded me that no matter what life throws at us we are always much stronger than we realise, body and mind, and that sometimes we need to just go all out to remind ourselves exactly how strong, focused and determined we can be. Little achievements and successes should always be celebrated, they make everything else shine and put all the nonsense we subject ourselves and are subjected to, each day, into perspective. In the weight loss world we call a success like that an NSV (non scale victory) and I think these are the more important victories. The scale is a guide and should only be looked on as a guide, it is a number, it is not lord and master. Or clothes are also a guide, and give us a better understanding of where we are than a number. And our achievements in any movement should be cause for a celebration of sorts. For Example: can you reach your hands further to your toes? Can you finally touch your toes, where as you couldn't 6 months ago? That's success, and a guide of improvement of some kind. And they should be celebrated because when you have that day when that voice says something negative, or self defeating, you can say 'maybe but I can touch my toes and I couldn't do that last year.' It's a positive for your attitude arsenal. Use it, own it, celebrate it and throw it back in that voices' mug when it rears it's ugly head.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCImcES4q7fhZCuXAFAqnyIaCi8Nf6udjt7hiKHFbbGDHuR5ydJkzlMXQtUKvG0cESD-pE2FBi1yswkoQDICF_UibKtjthOV2bM1W8bHPSvtXxnwLATAhhATNhoR5MUNTmWunzofSXlc/s1600/The-No.-1-reason-why-people-quit-is-because-they-look-how-far-theyve-go-to-go-not-how-far-theyve-come.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxCImcES4q7fhZCuXAFAqnyIaCi8Nf6udjt7hiKHFbbGDHuR5ydJkzlMXQtUKvG0cESD-pE2FBi1yswkoQDICF_UibKtjthOV2bM1W8bHPSvtXxnwLATAhhATNhoR5MUNTmWunzofSXlc/s200/The-No.-1-reason-why-people-quit-is-because-they-look-how-far-theyve-go-to-go-not-how-far-theyve-come.png" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at what you've achieved.<br />
Celebrate it.</td></tr>
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These little things change your perspective from one of self defeat to one of self acknowledgement in how far you've come. There are times we need to look behind to move forward. But don't look at them with negativity, those past things, look at them with a sense of achievement and celebrate that achievement no matter how small. My celebration last night was to jump around the gym like an idiot with a great big grin on my face. Yes the boys in the lifting area looked at me daft, so what?<br />
<br />
So celebrate all your little achievements, no matter how small. They are the very things that make you remember why you are doing it in the first place. And if you're in the gym ask one of the trainers about working out your 1RM, ask them about lifting and techniques and they will be more than happy to chat to you about it, they may even offer you a free taster session if you are lucky. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s200/be-kind.jpg" width="129" /></a></div>
As always, be kind to yourself<br />
<br />
Much love<br />
Krissie<br />
xxKrissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-43742442773181394182012-12-24T17:36:00.003+00:002013-03-06T11:47:17.287+00:00Well that was 2012....So 2012 had it's serious highs and devestating lows.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GO2-ECrEIx5fE5OjTSNr4jFhmoP_mcHS9qqLf_Jd4HgmlYp8p4PhiWdQGDrtJLv-YE7wS5T7QXH12lxUMBaH2jwJFt36MfGCYSephv2sZteQ6wVeoSK8lC69d69_c_EFG7OlPzU9nCY/s1600/680309_10151220558254424_1784197762_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6GO2-ECrEIx5fE5OjTSNr4jFhmoP_mcHS9qqLf_Jd4HgmlYp8p4PhiWdQGDrtJLv-YE7wS5T7QXH12lxUMBaH2jwJFt36MfGCYSephv2sZteQ6wVeoSK8lC69d69_c_EFG7OlPzU9nCY/s200/680309_10151220558254424_1784197762_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Triaxis 2012 <br />
Photo by Owen G Richards</td></tr>
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All in all, most of the year has been fantastic. The band got signed, we released the new album, we toured outside of the UK for the very first time and we got to play (albeit an acoustic set) at one of our favourite festivals. These were definite HUGE highlights of the year and something I am fiercly proud of. For those of you who have been paying attention you know how much music means to me. So for the band to have taken the steps that we did this last year, it has really been something special and worth all the blood, sweat and tears. So a massive thank you to everyone who bought and album, came to a gig, got a tshirt or just introduced a friend to our music; you are all awesome and the reason we do what we do. We appreciate it so much.<br />
<br />
But in 2012 I realised a number of things, achieved a few personal goals and fell in love with some new ways of keeping myself active.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lX_u_h9RIEYutb8iJ_Gj4R_nej9Hb_xwRI9n4DmcebEvLf-rKcT34BedDMDbO58WTS06L_POwohaHUxm1rL1SugHd6hODegdpnaNcJEk1F7Z4Kb3l8gvWluALvJy9_P0_BSiZEUhoV4/s1600/155230_10151247287524884_1276635737_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lX_u_h9RIEYutb8iJ_Gj4R_nej9Hb_xwRI9n4DmcebEvLf-rKcT34BedDMDbO58WTS06L_POwohaHUxm1rL1SugHd6hODegdpnaNcJEk1F7Z4Kb3l8gvWluALvJy9_P0_BSiZEUhoV4/s200/155230_10151247287524884_1276635737_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kirby & Roberts<br />
Trouble is our middle name!</td></tr>
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In January I took up Pole Dancing, as you may have heard me mention in the odd post. It was something that I had been meaning to do for a long time, but had always used that lame excuse of 'I don't have enough time'. So I made time for one class a week and instantly fell in love with it. It's hard to explain what I love about it but it gives me a new found confidence and something to build my strength for. As anyone who works out will tell you, while we love the feeling we get from exercise it is still handy to have something to work towards the forces us to switch up routines etc. For me a huge motivator is pole. As a unexpected and exceptionally welcomed plus point, the instructor at my pole school also happens to be a raving nutcase (in a very good way) and someone who shares my sense of humour. She has fast become one of my closest and dearest friends and I am blessed to have met her (yes Roberts, I'm gushing about you again). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjED7SitRRBAe-U6gXBQ9k0nH_F7UxQ369bSRpZFIm_51DNz9evnqyhMirV1F-s-Z35H5JHhNNh3PAeCo-iQNPRB4Khj-9_rLpBOX_It9Ga3Hk51qmQ1gf_z7cOOMkIqFHnyDLb446kEFw/s1600/379345_10150937998351665_2105742360_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjED7SitRRBAe-U6gXBQ9k0nH_F7UxQ369bSRpZFIm_51DNz9evnqyhMirV1F-s-Z35H5JHhNNh3PAeCo-iQNPRB4Khj-9_rLpBOX_It9Ga3Hk51qmQ1gf_z7cOOMkIqFHnyDLb446kEFw/s200/379345_10150937998351665_2105742360_n.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pole Pride Showcase<br />
May 2012</td></tr>
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<br />
In May I took to the stage for my first pole performance. September, I joined the ranks of the <a href="http://www.circadianfitness.co.uk/Pole%20Performances.php" target="_blank">Pole Pride Performers</a> ( a great bunch of girls and boys who are a joy to be around and are exceptionally talented), and then this month we had a second showcase at which I performed all in aid of a local cancer hospice and so far between the two shows we've raised £1600. For something that started outside my comfort zone, I feel very at home performing on the pole. And to top a year of poling off, in October I took part in my first professional Pole Photo shoot with the very wonderful <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Miss-Moth-Photographic-Arts/319438401435454?fref=ts" target="_blank">Miss Moth Photographic Arts</a>. I think what I love about Pole Dancing, isn't only that it challenges my fitness and body strength but that it also forces me to seek a grace between each transition, to not just plough into trick or spin without adding some flow to the movement. It speaks to my outward front person and inner frustrated dancer. It's a marrying of disciplines and something I will definitely be progressing further in 2013.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZauC5UOJC8PJr1XSb3LyfMLys4WwWX4gtW97VShgD1cWlE6sUR8lCb4S87KcIIs2VpIXUfCzcnslQOdPzav7m3_KXcgWTJHknyNJDNyDf_5EDoF3dFycStrQR7D-HiSjwaSyDZivOY1s/s1600/155170_10151224110086665_442396111_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZauC5UOJC8PJr1XSb3LyfMLys4WwWX4gtW97VShgD1cWlE6sUR8lCb4S87KcIIs2VpIXUfCzcnslQOdPzav7m3_KXcgWTJHknyNJDNyDf_5EDoF3dFycStrQR7D-HiSjwaSyDZivOY1s/s200/155170_10151224110086665_442396111_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First Pole photo shoot Oct 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVU_EV8YOqh2kwdiVu9ka77ptMS6x8tixMFlJZgK8fFP6KNUqOlwi7zjfS3jSGb4n287S5RURSb6aOPkAkPD0KHzt9y5QeX53TsOnTsr_EMgrNlN7VUnU24IO5t2FgX-w1StqFfCgoQk/s1600/25042_10151302910061665_2085301443_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyVU_EV8YOqh2kwdiVu9ka77ptMS6x8tixMFlJZgK8fFP6KNUqOlwi7zjfS3jSGb4n287S5RURSb6aOPkAkPD0KHzt9y5QeX53TsOnTsr_EMgrNlN7VUnU24IO5t2FgX-w1StqFfCgoQk/s200/25042_10151302910061665_2085301443_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Alethea Austin</td></tr>
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I also had the great opportunity to have masterclasses with two of the world's greatest pole dancers. In June I had the privilege of managing my first invert under the guidance of the amazing Pantera Blacksmith (who has the most amazing tattoo) and then at the start of this month I got to do two classes with the equally brilliant Alethea Austin, who (with a LOT of help from Dawn) gave me tips to enable me to do my first shoulder mount (Alethea appears in the Tom Cruise film, Rock of Ages based on the West End show). I have also signed up to gain my basic pole instructor qualification (REPs recognised) with the wonderful KT Coates. 2013 is going to be a very busy year but more about that later on ;)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOUhWMTiEv5sCrwnvJSrAhIF9VKiljrZ46YGqmP9aErQpsqLemscPCL5-THik4GFpD4Qn160XSWhV_ldM9cGFjyXA1bN9vXJGKuagHulodZu8fFow6YJN6h7s3jOkxCiiX2zAA23pJS4/s1600/215607_10151125542951665_531591001_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOUhWMTiEv5sCrwnvJSrAhIF9VKiljrZ46YGqmP9aErQpsqLemscPCL5-THik4GFpD4Qn160XSWhV_ldM9cGFjyXA1bN9vXJGKuagHulodZu8fFow6YJN6h7s3jOkxCiiX2zAA23pJS4/s200/215607_10151125542951665_531591001_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>Continuing with the fitness theme (well this is a fitness blog after all), I also fell madly in love with obstacle course racing. In 2011 a good friend posted a video to my Facebook wall about a race called The Spartan Sprint. This <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/SpartanRaceTube?feature=watch" target="_blank">video</a> had me intrigued. I watched with wonder at these people happily flinging themselves through lakes, rivers, over walls, crawling under cargo netting and barbed wire, jumping over fire pits and battling Spartans with pugil sticks to win a shiny medal. Curious about this wondrous vision, I started to research this possible new fitness madness that I could get involved in. (As with pole again I need to have something outside of the just the usual routine to work towards or I notice I get lazy with my workouts - I am my own worst enemy as many of you will have gathered reading previous posts). I soon realised after watching, reading and learning all I could about the Spartan series that it was more than just wanting to win, more than just the shiny medal at the end, it was about finishing no matter what. It was about facing obstacles head on regardless of what you expect and just getting to that finish line because then you know.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBXPRq3q0-Sq7wIHXdSSksQcYVkS9Oc9BbNhSrHxqTgTRVda2A2uUv-wQDbP1hj_D6qOQAKx09HJp6FolxA6lunnXx6oY6CT9DzOuMTWTL-FZq-ulN2RrZKiX1U9ncwALno9dnpPW7SI/s1600/7979868867_f439d1bf0c_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOBXPRq3q0-Sq7wIHXdSSksQcYVkS9Oc9BbNhSrHxqTgTRVda2A2uUv-wQDbP1hj_D6qOQAKx09HJp6FolxA6lunnXx6oY6CT9DzOuMTWTL-FZq-ulN2RrZKiX1U9ncwALno9dnpPW7SI/s200/7979868867_f439d1bf0c_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boobs and Determination<br />
I have an abundance of both ;)</td></tr>
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<br />
So in September of this year, OH and I donned our trail runners and with a knee injury in tow ventured to Atherstone in the Midlands to take part in our first Sprint. Yes the Spartan tag line seems convoluted, and kitsch but in all seriousness you do know at the finish line just what you are capable of. Running 6.5km over 15+ obstacles with a knee that was on fire for the last 2.5km, wading through 2.5km of river water and falling face first into red dyed ice, well that was possibly the most fun I have had in LONG time. It was something I was looking forward to and something that I enjoyed beyond my initial expectations. It also opened a whole new community to me and one I am fiercely proud to be a member of, The Spartan Chicked Group. I was thrilled with a bad knee and queues at the obstacles we finished with a respectable time of 1hr 40mins.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2K2rt1N7XxLQvnwEta5r-SXAb8uc1kAFOa4M2QN-OmZmZzWPmAC_F1P8r01GjEcMSOSFhrxgttbNbVbpI_azTXXc2p9pN5rxMXB6S-RvL2bx3ofSqvMI1HOgaJ8bXzXK50ulfjOVZJO8/s1600/579106_10151253778101665_705142353_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2K2rt1N7XxLQvnwEta5r-SXAb8uc1kAFOa4M2QN-OmZmZzWPmAC_F1P8r01GjEcMSOSFhrxgttbNbVbpI_azTXXc2p9pN5rxMXB6S-RvL2bx3ofSqvMI1HOgaJ8bXzXK50ulfjOVZJO8/s200/579106_10151253778101665_705142353_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best fun ever!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOr8ZTSuQUKjyoOwaNG_BKBN8S26eePI0J__LYuLZp5n-zY0Wk9W9HJpDjgBh90XEagYS8KkxFSS3XzLbCBQAj0IEB_X36iVa5FLHYqC-E-56ewyB4YlL9VAyg58sP_fNh2Qr4mgrzag/s1600/8144871842_5c1e14cd36_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijOr8ZTSuQUKjyoOwaNG_BKBN8S26eePI0J__LYuLZp5n-zY0Wk9W9HJpDjgBh90XEagYS8KkxFSS3XzLbCBQAj0IEB_X36iVa5FLHYqC-E-56ewyB4YlL9VAyg58sP_fNh2Qr4mgrzag/s200/8144871842_5c1e14cd36_b.jpg" width="133" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">RARR Zombie!</td></tr>
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So with the love of obstacle course racing now firmly planted in the nogging, CJ, Giles, OH and I took part in the inaugural Zombie Evacuation Race in Cambridge in October. It was an absolute hoot. Nowhere near as much mud as the Spartans but the main obsactle this time were the zombies and they were absolutely brilliant. With the course being over 5km, much of which was open running through sleet and rain, the obstacles came in to force near the end of the run with the greatest being the zombies. And the knee, although painful towards the end, was no where near as excruciating as it had been before I started the rehabilitation of rest, acupuncture and slowly rebuilding my strength training programme. It's given me a new found insight into what lies ahead in my role as a Personal Trainer and has highlighted the importance of finding a good physiotherapist who will help me look after my body while I get others in shape. For Christmas this year, OH and I have bought each other season passes for 2013 Spartan Series in the UK. I can't wait...watch out Hobbi Call ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMCt2ErT5tHTm-IahH87d7O1Ch_E9SlpmHxSbpddM6LzXKq4tLlGoCEnkL7EH8BRg1U08IEPkt8RecWHG2GBy6zkim43qW5zRcrkRP5IJwsdr8DIv8mjIRs8ouBZvra6lPL42VtEtrCI/s1600/405978_10151059912176665_666571092_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhMCt2ErT5tHTm-IahH87d7O1Ch_E9SlpmHxSbpddM6LzXKq4tLlGoCEnkL7EH8BRg1U08IEPkt8RecWHG2GBy6zkim43qW5zRcrkRP5IJwsdr8DIv8mjIRs8ouBZvra6lPL42VtEtrCI/s200/405978_10151059912176665_666571092_n.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CJ and me at the Race for Life<br />
Cardiff 2012</td></tr>
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2012 also saw my 6th Race for Life, with my best girl CJ accompanying me on her 2nd Race for Life. As most of you know this is the main charity that I fundraise for, and is something very close to my heart, likewise with CJ and Giles. So I am thrilled to say that over the last six years we have raised £1910 and on top of that HMRC have given £481.27 in gift aid. I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am that people have given money to us girls who race around a park on a summer's morning/evening having a good giggle, and a knowing nod at the pink patches. Understanding how everyone of those ladies feels for the ones they love who have suffered and lost or survived cancer makes it important for myself and CJ that we keep doing our small part. And as a whole, it's something we support as a band. So a huge thank you to everyone who sponsored us in 2012, we will be running again in 2013 and I shall keep you posted. I hope you'll help us get over the £2000 total.<br />
<br />
Sadly 2012 had it's serious downside. In late September we received the news that Gav's beloved cousin James McCubbin had suffered a heart attack and had passed away. This floored us completely, not least due to James only being a few months younger than myself and had died aged 36. But also in that his wife is fighting breast cancer. It left the family utterly devastated and in a state of disbelief. I can hear his laughter when I think of him. He was a man who loved life and we have to accept that he is no longer present in person, but lives on in how we live by loving life as he did and by remembering him with love and fondness. We miss you Jim.<br />
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However the year is ending on a high, the album launched to great reviews, we toured, and my first proper training client has messaged me to say she's lost her first stone in weight just by changing two simple habits in her diet and moving more. I'm so proud of her, she's a great person and with three children and husband, and helping out at her mother's shop, she's done amazingly well proving that if you want it, nothing will stop you. Well done, Femi, I'm so very, very proud of you :D<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before 2006 After 2012</td></tr>
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In my own weightloss journey I hit a few milestones. Firstly I officially ceased to be clinically overweight. I dropped to a weight where no longer do the medical bods think that all my problems are weight related. As anyone will tell you, who is overweight, it becomes a bit of a bind when every time you go to the doctors the first thing they say is 'oh it's because you are over weight'. It's frustrating. I also had a mental breakthrough and it came in the simplest of ways. For years as you know I have battled with 'Pandora' my naysaying inner voice and I struggled to find ways to get her to shut up. After my pole instructor said it was time to put some before and after photos up on Facebook, I sucked up the corage to confront my old pictures and see the me as I was. Boy was I in for a shock. I didn't recognise me at all in that picture, and you can read my blog about how it felt to share that picture <a href="http://nomoremrsfattymcfat.blogspot.com.es/2012/11/a-work-still-in-progress.html" target="_blank">here</a>. But finally saying sorry to myself and forgiving myself whole heartedly for what I had done finally quietened the voice down. Finally she sat back and it was as if she said 'There, that's all I was after.' I know look at that picture and think, 'well done me'. And rightfully so, I'm proud of how far I've come, and though I am no longer fat, I have some fat that I would still like to lose but the weighing scales don't have the control on me that they once had and that is a HUGE breakthrough! This is now about just getting me to where I feel comfortable in myself, but for the most part I already do. But there is always room for improvement.<br />
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So as 2012 draws to a close, I recall that for the most part it's been a fantastic year, with the band going from strength to strength, the fitness side of things really picking up, my own fitness and weightloss journey continuing in great strides what is left for 2013. Well, I am always on a journey of self discovery and 2013 is the year that things will change greatly. I have plans afoot that will come to realisation in the first quarter of the year. The band will be back on the road and who knows where that will take us. I am studying to finish the final assessments of my Personal Training Cert as well as taking my Exercise to Music qualifications and pole training qualifications. I have so many fitness quails I want to take to really increase my flexibility and adaptability to the ever changing world of fitness. I am also looking at ways to incorporate obstacle course training into basic personal training to give my clients something different to the run of the mill bootcamp style training. All in all, 2013 is looking to be a great year, and while I am sure there will be hurdles and dips, the highs will once again outweigh them greatly.<br />
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So to everyone who has read my blog over the last year, thank you for reading my ramblings. It is appreciated. And I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.<br />
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Here's to 2013 and don't forget to be kind to yourself, you ROCK!<br />
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Much love<br />
Krisse<br />
xxx<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do what you love to love what you do :D</td></tr>
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Photo Credits: Triaxis group photo: Owen G Richards<br />
Kirby & Roberts: Kat Jennings<br />
Spartan Pics: SpartanRace.com<br />
Zombie Evacuation: ZombieEvacuation.com<br />
Pole Pride Shocase and Photoshoot: Miss Moth Photographic Arts<br />
Krissie performing picture: Anthony May, FestivalPhoto<br />
All others property of KrissieKirby.com<br />
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-51346614471481260752012-11-15T00:14:00.001+00:002012-11-15T00:14:08.117+00:00A work still in progress....A few weeks ago my dear friend and pole instructor posted on my Facebook wall that it was about time I posted some before and after pictures of my weight loss journey. I made the excuse that I needed to scan some photos on to the computer first. Truth is, I was still fat when digital cameras become the norm and, though I tried to always be the one behind the camera, there were pictures of me in that before phase lurking on my computer and various social sites.<br />
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No matter how hard I have tried to ignore her, she's always been there, lurking, waiting, a phantom of my past scratching away in the background, and I was desperately ashamed of her. I wanted her to disappear, to vanish into the digital ether, never to return and show me what I had done to myself.<br />
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I guess I just wasn't quite ready to look at that before picture and say 'I'm sorry' to myself for being that unhappy and for letting it all get so out of control. I'm not sure what I was running away from at the time, and at the time it must have been very painful and important. I suppose part of it was losing my Grandfather to leukaemia but this downward spiral had started way before Grampa became ill. No this started before then, but now, over six years since the before picture was taken I'm hard pressed to recall what was making me so miserable that I had pretty much given up on myself. The only good constant at the time was (and thankfully still is) my solid marriage to possibly then most understanding person I have ever met, my beloved hubby. Everything else, well it's a bit of a blur and all a bit hazy.<br />
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However, yesterday I sat with my finger hovering over the post button on Facebook with the comparison before and after picture, shaking at the prospect of allowing the social network world see how I used to be, who I used to be, the mess I used to be. And here I sat, scared of the judgements that would be dished out.<br />
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I should, and do know better. There never was any question of people being judgemental. In fact, quite the opposite. The comments I received were amazing and I am sincerely grateful to everyone who posted. As my American cousins would say, I was feeling the love. And then it struck me. I needed to say sorry to myself, for putting my 21-30 year old self through all that unhealthy behaviour. I know I've often talked about not listening to that voice when she rears her head but have I actually, properly said sorry to myself? Not until today, I hadn't and I meant it. I sat here, looking at the 30 year old me in that before picture, struggling to fit her hands in her jeans pocket and said how sorry I am that I screwed our 20s up. How sorry I am that I didn't look after us, and that we have come out the other side smiling, happier and far healthier. And Pandora and I have had a good sob. Yes she will have her moments when she creeps up with her self doubt and snide remarks at how rough I might look after a gig night, but she's/we/I am only human.<br />
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So here it is, the before and after picture. The before on the left taken in Boscastle in April 2006, and the after (although I still have another stone I want shot of) picture taken in June 2012. There is still work to be done, inside as well as out, but everything is on the upward spiral, and life is good.<br />
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-4323968210663427282012-11-08T15:06:00.003+00:002012-11-08T23:38:06.266+00:00Knee Rehab... it's going to take time!Apologies in being remiss in updating this blog over the last two months. It's been a busy ole time on the music side of things with the release of the album and the first dates of the tour that I've not had a moment to stop and post anything. I must do better ;) However, when logging in today I found I had a post fully written ready to go that I had completely forgotten about regarding my knee and the rehab that I was under taking to get myself fit again.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rest? Really?</td></tr>
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So come back in time with me now, to Sept 9th, the Spartan Race had finished and I was in agony with my knee. So much so that I started to put in some serious research and time into how best to cope with IT Band syndrome and how to heal myself. In the end I consulted my physiotherapist as, to be frank, he's the person who is going to know best. His advice, REST, acupuncture, REST, massage, REST, specific exercises and, oh yes, REST.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me to a tee!</td></tr>
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For those who know me well, you'll appreciate that me being told to take it easy and get some proper rest is like telling the sun to stop rising, it's just not going to happen. So to hear my physio say, 'you have no choice, it's rest, massage, physiotherapy and acupunture, or you seriously pose a risk of never being able to run more than 4km again, ever', was utterly heartbreaking to hear. Devastation set in and my entire mood took a downward turn.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07wOEb5pYjPSSnpwOV2wZydI5IcPkE4nkljxfcMk8UysPfRHGvO3htrLg7ztF5z_JhTGWB37F14UUpBI8bnzGQwbCAd0YES_c1x-l_zgYq0phj1dTMXA8jv-H7Mii9PI1RNBs_MhhR3U/s1600/I+heart+fitness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07wOEb5pYjPSSnpwOV2wZydI5IcPkE4nkljxfcMk8UysPfRHGvO3htrLg7ztF5z_JhTGWB37F14UUpBI8bnzGQwbCAd0YES_c1x-l_zgYq0phj1dTMXA8jv-H7Mii9PI1RNBs_MhhR3U/s200/I+heart+fitness.jpg" width="160" /></a>I live for exercise. It regulates my hormones like nothing else, it staves off the red mist that descends (far less frequently than it used to), it stops me reaching for the snack jar because it keeps me in a happy, positive frame of mind, it actually surpresses my cravings for sweet things (which is great), and it generally makes me feel good. Everything in my day is made much more positive and joyous by the inclusion of exercise. Plus I love it. I enjoy getting all sweaty after a good cardio session. I love lifting weight and seeing if I can push myself harder. I love doing plyometrics and seeing how far I can really take my anerobic threshold. I just plain, flat out, LOVE to exercise.<br />
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But that week and the week after, I spent much of it in a low funk. I even cried. I'm woman enough to admit it. I cried like a baby, at the prospect of not being able to compete in the Zombie Run that was coming up at the end of October. I cried at the thought that my new found love for mud and obstacle course racing would be over while still in its infancy. I cried at the thought that it might put the block on my dream to become a top class personal trainer in the UK. I cried, a lot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrpAC-7mvR0p4pCbv28qHxnQ3OuYKV_nkBycLUIKVYFj8C4UMZ3MVXoJdyF0xckxtpj6NPBnS7urvRPPAa5OGw7LraWQK05uhSqn0GrQIVApW-hcm2oK8ke6nrK75phlFevzXoZrE8RA/s1600/acupuncture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="102" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrpAC-7mvR0p4pCbv28qHxnQ3OuYKV_nkBycLUIKVYFj8C4UMZ3MVXoJdyF0xckxtpj6NPBnS7urvRPPAa5OGw7LraWQK05uhSqn0GrQIVApW-hcm2oK8ke6nrK75phlFevzXoZrE8RA/s200/acupuncture.jpg" width="200" /></a>BUT, after my first session of acupuncture, my knee seemed to feel, well, normal. Now I know after one course of treatment that it isn't going to be cured (and there is a distinct possibility that this IT band irritation will never be wholly cured), but my god what an amazing difference. Seeing these weird little needles sticking out of your leg is a little..hmm..odd. And feeling them being twisted or stimulated every 5 minutes, again just plain odd. But my physio was right on two counts, 1) I slept like a baby the night of the treatment and 2) the pain comes back excruciatingly but only for a few hours and then you feel like you could do a marathon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZMBhCf6QEUqDcmPE4pPqVw2xB_x5FYjecTxIQRk-kpRXfqvxUKq9IsTkN-4HGbe6yZlxpS7xeL9_1UZilnj5WjmMCKof6kui7URVdkx2_Vo5VIk-gX4CJwnd8SwXtGgrYpGF8a4Q8REE/s1600/good+job.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZMBhCf6QEUqDcmPE4pPqVw2xB_x5FYjecTxIQRk-kpRXfqvxUKq9IsTkN-4HGbe6yZlxpS7xeL9_1UZilnj5WjmMCKof6kui7URVdkx2_Vo5VIk-gX4CJwnd8SwXtGgrYpGF8a4Q8REE/s200/good+job.jpg" width="144" /></a>However, I was a good girl and I took his advice. No running at all for 4 weeks, which was hard, but eventually I didn't run for 7 weeks. I was not allowed to do any weight bearing exercises other than body weight and no sqauts or lunges were allowed in the 4 weeks rest period. Anything to decrease the repetative strain, as essentially that's what it is. OK so that meant TurboFire was out as well, likewise Insanity. So only the upper body portions of P90X? Yep that was good. So what else could I do to maintain exercising and fat loss, without being tempted to get on the treadmill and squat like my life depends on it with a 30kg barbell? Well, said my physio, get in the pool and swim! So back to swimming I went. I haven't been swimming since I did a severe sprain of my ankle back in 2007. So I sucked up my pride and reinstated my membership at my old gym. This serves two purposes anyway, as once I had the all clear I was able return to my old pump, combat and attack classes that I love so much and I have missed them. And also pole dancing was still allowed (Get In). Add to that pilates to continue to strengthen my glutes, frequent sports massages, foam rollering and more acupuncture, and the path was well set for a full recovery. *crosses everything and prays to whoever is listening*.<br />
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So having had 5 courses of acupuncture, regular massages, lots of foam rollering, and no niggles when I eventually made a combat and some pump classes, I decided that I would now test the knee with a 5km cross country obstacle course race being chased by zombies....because that's what you do to test if you've recovered of course. But more about the Zombie race in the next blog. Thankfully the knee, although it did irritate and the searing heat of the IT band inflamation started at about the 4km mark again, the recovery period afterwards was far quicker. Straight on with the ice patch after the race, knee elevated for the rest of the night at home and the next day no pain when decsending the stairs. After the Spartan Race it took almost a week for things to go back to normal, now it's taking less than a day. This is serious progress.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_G5e7jQF2NdcuXJb6p1Aufwnc_BO_kXVvt4TwEPIWdpdE0GV3ROWegi_NVHW_7Vp8Jh_iv9zch79IqruY7hMu4MCL4vVNAuyJjs4IGLRsitoBhbiCjO8Zz6S8VtH93U889ZGJe-gsFEs/s1600/hurrah.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_G5e7jQF2NdcuXJb6p1Aufwnc_BO_kXVvt4TwEPIWdpdE0GV3ROWegi_NVHW_7Vp8Jh_iv9zch79IqruY7hMu4MCL4vVNAuyJjs4IGLRsitoBhbiCjO8Zz6S8VtH93U889ZGJe-gsFEs/s200/hurrah.jpeg" width="133" /></a>Last night was the real tester. I hit the gym for the first time in now almost 9 weeks (I ended up with a very bad cold after the Zombie run so thought it best not to train especially with gigs the following weekend - play it safe). I decided to go straight back into my old routine (but adjusted my weights down as I've lost some of my strength), just to see how I'm doing in the recovery stakes and thankfully I ran for my full 10 minute cardio blast on the treadmil (doing just over a mile) without a twinge. I did some weighted squats, lunges and single leg deadlifts and still no twinges. So all in all, the rest did me good. There is still some way to go as I'd like to do the Super Spartan next year and if my knee allows the Beast as well so that I qualify for my Trifecta. But we shall see, something this injury has taught me is that if I want it badly enough then I have to be patient and let my body heal properly. So for the interim I'm sticking to the 5k races, but it feels SO good to be active again. It's been a hard lesson to learn.<br />
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Anyhoo, until the next entry! <br />
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Be kind to yourselves,<br />
Much love<br />
Krissie<br />
xxx <br />
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-81218185671563017822012-09-09T19:28:00.000+01:002012-09-09T19:34:48.423+01:00Mud, mud and more mud!So we did it! We arrived a little under an hour before our heat and we registered for our first ever Spartan Sprint :D<br />
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The registration process for the event is a very well oiled machine. With waiver forms in hand all signed and ready to just be handed in, we were given our timing chips to attach to our shoes so that we didn't have to worry about the effects of water/mud and various other substances on HRMs and the like.<br />
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Having picked up our timing chip which also acted as our bib and with our numbers inked in indelible ink on our foreheads (for the pictures apparently), we handed in our keys to the key drop and prepared to warm up. And that's when disaster almost struck! I was doing some high knees and I turned over on my ankle. The crack was as though I landed on a twig, but no that was my ankle going crunch. Luckily it wasn't a major sprain just a slight twist and with some quick stretching it seemed to be fine, and what tiny twinges of pain I had dissipated. Had there been instant swelling and bruising, or any pain when I applied body weight onto the ankle, I would have withdrawn from the race. However, there was nothing immediately apparent, and we had another 25 mins before the start of our heat, plenty of time for me to do a self diagnostic as were and check that I was still race fit. Thankfully, all was well. So time to Spartan the f*** up and get to it.<br />
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We lined up, amongst likeminded men and women, all ready to tackle whatever the course threw at us. The master of ceremonies took as through what we faced, and for the brave amongst us who were undertaking the Super Spartan they were told they'd have to do the course twice and with a brick on the second time through, 2 tyres instead of one, and 2 sand bags on the carry instead of one. As the course was a double for the super we worked out that we had roughly a 6 to 6.5 Km course to get through. (The Super is over 12km). With the cry of 'What is your profession?' and our obligatory 'Aroo! Aroo! Aroo!' we started over the line and we were off.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-po-K_x47jB2cXzHyRb9FXdx99fmy3R_8QxwKVQ8O0ORz0fFInmMQ7nQ0Z8wFa7GXrOwobbipig2lGXhZMEO1KPodgT01aaam5QRw_Y11lQLbewqO9I_Hrg2RbbbKZIZv4-73SEqf1-4/s1600/mud+G+and+K.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-po-K_x47jB2cXzHyRb9FXdx99fmy3R_8QxwKVQ8O0ORz0fFInmMQ7nQ0Z8wFa7GXrOwobbipig2lGXhZMEO1KPodgT01aaam5QRw_Y11lQLbewqO9I_Hrg2RbbbKZIZv4-73SEqf1-4/s200/mud+G+and+K.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mo Mud!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Various obstacles that we faced along the way included balance beams, wading through LOTS of river water (over 2km in water), low walls, high walls, carrying sand bags and tyres, cargo nets, spear throw, crawling through mud, and on one occasion under barbed wire, holding bricks up for a set period of time, rope ladders and all with lots of mud from the previous racers and ourselves. But they saved the most evil obstacles till last. As we turned into the home straight, we were faced with a pit of ice under barbed wire, that we had to crawl through...and it was dyed red! As soon as we come out of the ice pit it was the rope wall, and the surface of the inclined wall is like tarpaulin, so slippery when wet, and muddy. We tried to get up it, my god did we try but alas no, so honour burpees it was. In fact on the entire course I only did 2 x 30 burpees which I was really pleased with. (The spear throw had a rule, 1 throw and if you miss you do burpees...I missed but that's fine, if you recall I'm one of those weird people who like burpees)<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmF19fN759pOfclzoLHPH4x9UKXjlv51Er-pbceL2MvCIEeqcUXALoh_vzzE-ANaRZESDXvTs9l6_OOaG3sMO2PTpJTFuDDJDvbt04E4yvak6u4C7vmkZekvyRAEFHlztOaHOM4Sax4w/s1600/gav.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKmF19fN759pOfclzoLHPH4x9UKXjlv51Er-pbceL2MvCIEeqcUXALoh_vzzE-ANaRZESDXvTs9l6_OOaG3sMO2PTpJTFuDDJDvbt04E4yvak6u4C7vmkZekvyRAEFHlztOaHOM4Sax4w/s200/gav.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Updating Facebook!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Around the 4km mark my knee started to give me some problems, so I'm not out of the woods with the old IT Band syndrome just yet and no doubt my physio will give me a telling off on Wednesday ;) But damn it this was something I needed to do for me and my great gods did I enjoy it. <br />
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Caked in mud, we finished our race, removed our chips, collected our medals and made our way back to the car to clean off, obviously had to update all social networking site, put civies back on and grab some food. A quick jolly back over to the main arena saw us bump into one of the most inspiring fitness aficionados that I have ever witnessed. Doing a double take and saying to OH 'isn't that Jessie Pavelka?' lo, it was indeed Mr Palvelka in all his chiseled glory, with that dazzling smile. What a thoroughly lovely man, he even obliged me with a photograph. I came away starstruck, utterly starstruck.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePXUVnakByH3TvksuJz22glZeOi3o3CiC7GH6wStxiKfFkfARWz0xGK2wzoptnHK33a1G4ulFS07zPzEqkydEj3IyL7v9rVzSv1BJvB-HbIa_sZJQ_4V0yrN58XnrCVFIyTub6gtVKmM/s1600/mud+rocks.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePXUVnakByH3TvksuJz22glZeOi3o3CiC7GH6wStxiKfFkfARWz0xGK2wzoptnHK33a1G4ulFS07zPzEqkydEj3IyL7v9rVzSv1BJvB-HbIa_sZJQ_4V0yrN58XnrCVFIyTub6gtVKmM/s320/mud+rocks.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No sparkle here, just lots of glow!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
All in all, a bloody good day. I lost my sparkle, met a fitness idol, had a great day with OH and faced my fear of heights head on scaling that cargo net and high wall. I feel quite accomplished. They say on the blurb that 'You'll know at the finish line' and you now what, you do. You know that nothing can beat you if you really give it everything you have, and even if you fail at something there will be another way around the problem. What you know at the finish line is that you CAN do it and more, that you are strong in mind, body and spirit and that this community you've found yourself in all believe that and understand it too. You know at the finish line exactly who you are.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaI9WFNpal-JxcZdZFltA4CuLL6GGXCqrv0rkgIIT6Huq204QxKPmOf3vrrRvaixPHRJ0hAza_ki15mqsgP0Hn0v5FSWiYy6XPVP481w-5PMUZ0ywDbkxHfnfxd-I8Le4nHJYFqfYSVI/s1600/with+jessie+pavelka.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaI9WFNpal-JxcZdZFltA4CuLL6GGXCqrv0rkgIIT6Huq204QxKPmOf3vrrRvaixPHRJ0hAza_ki15mqsgP0Hn0v5FSWiYy6XPVP481w-5PMUZ0ywDbkxHfnfxd-I8Le4nHJYFqfYSVI/s320/with+jessie+pavelka.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Jessie Pavelka</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2ubtsR5frWRMbNlHNRJUthIhOccLq65_7vKmo19sz-GpkwR_u_ioiElVVDUw0badwkBg3dzAs-stn_-2UJsnGwSKKBjHv76HdexYvC1FJpgoRGQmmvZjbBS3DO5zt6Iip1gz6YM3Qak/s1600/clean+chick.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk2ubtsR5frWRMbNlHNRJUthIhOccLq65_7vKmo19sz-GpkwR_u_ioiElVVDUw0badwkBg3dzAs-stn_-2UJsnGwSKKBjHv76HdexYvC1FJpgoRGQmmvZjbBS3DO5zt6Iip1gz6YM3Qak/s320/clean+chick.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clean and proud Spartan Chick!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So next on the agenda is a visit to my physio and to really work on getting the strength and flexibility back in my IT band, I have a routine to film in pole tomorrow with my class, then I can start training for the Zombie Evacuation run in October, and after that in 2013 the next sprint and maybe the super, and possibly the beast ;) Well, why not eh?<br />
<br />
As always, be kind to yourself<br />
Much love<br />
Krissie<br />
xx<br />
Officially a Spartan Chick!Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-77317365967495207792012-09-09T09:28:00.000+01:002012-09-09T09:30:48.524+01:00Spartan Up Buster!About a year ago a friend of mine sent me a video on Facebook, all about a series of obstacle course races that happen across the globe.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4aM0fpS0IU&feature=youtube_gdata_player" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" x-apple-data-detectors="true">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4aM0fpS0IU&feature=youtube_gdata_player</a></span><br />
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I watched in wonder at this madness that had people crawling through pits of mud, under barbed wire, and grinning like utter loons while doing so. What was this wondrous thing, and was it available in the UK?</div>
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Well it turns out that, yes, the Spartan Series and Tough Mudder are both in the UK. For those of you who follow this blog, you know I love crazy ways of keeping fit and what is more crazy than taking on a series of obstacle courses over varying distances in a metric tonne of mud? The Sprint is the smaller of the three main Spartan races, and is a 5km run with 15 or more obstacles. If there is an obstacle that you just can't complete then you have the option to do burpees. And this will come as a huge surprise to many but I fricking LOVE burpees. Plyometric and strength conditioning with core stability all in one fluid movement, what's not to love?<br />
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So here I am, typing on my trusty iPad, in the car enroute to my first ever Spartan Sprint. Am I nervous? A little. Am I excited? Hell yes. I'm all about embracing the fear and pushing yourself that little further. Now to just get through the never ending stream of roadworks on the M50/M5 and we're all set ;)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYGtMxDfuK263Gj4IaizkSq2qZQcohXbE4N_-0-UYmacqauK9M6Bfw95wadTfGxVU8BRxdwvKtygHaBNkXTehEFtk49zB-HBx9sg4eKDtzmEyRislpZNVd38CQYqDVHZTU81iIjzsXao/s1600/SPARTAN_Chicked_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYGtMxDfuK263Gj4IaizkSq2qZQcohXbE4N_-0-UYmacqauK9M6Bfw95wadTfGxVU8BRxdwvKtygHaBNkXTehEFtk49zB-HBx9sg4eKDtzmEyRislpZNVd38CQYqDVHZTU81iIjzsXao/s320/SPARTAN_Chicked_logo.png" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></span><br />
For all my fellow chicks who are losing their sparkle this weekend, good on ya girls, I'<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);">ll see you at the finish line :D</span><br />
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Will blog with pictures if I survive ;)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0QV70X7XIJPxJVzxtKoiZGFtag9YYzbfV7vy0js4aNfBRCbgVNKJ-v_SIjLLk-h_puikgaM6pxLgDgYsuBpLLkHilGXLTNCR2O1rAnBVlB7sLNLT_Yq46GQX41WfoJlT8rxkzbgcuPM/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_0QV70X7XIJPxJVzxtKoiZGFtag9YYzbfV7vy0js4aNfBRCbgVNKJ-v_SIjLLk-h_puikgaM6pxLgDgYsuBpLLkHilGXLTNCR2O1rAnBVlB7sLNLT_Yq46GQX41WfoJlT8rxkzbgcuPM/s320/be-kind.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="207" /></a></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><br /></span>As always, be kind to yourself<br />
Much love<br />
Krissie<br />
<br />
X</div>
Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-55165416968608683802012-08-05T15:15:00.000+01:002012-08-07T11:32:19.847+01:00Well I’ve been a bit lax....<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">...in updating both blogs, sorry. It’s all
been a bit hectic for reasons that will be apparent if you head over to the
<a href="http://krissietriaxis.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/its-been-busy-few-weeks.html" target="_blank">sister blog</a> of this page. And this blog is going to be rather long, sorry in
advance!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">So fitness, weight loss and personal development; where
do I begin? Last time we spoke I had hit that Valhalla of mental states where I
was finally happy in myself. Unfortunately that took a turn back to old habits
about two weeks ago and I’ve kicked, screamed and clawed my way back out of the
maddening abyss that is low self esteem to regain my place back in the sun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUosMCJEkNncY_P86xw_gtSZdgZW4lNuSqge1xuThoV6zPFW0tS6fphNLg8EcQRQKizJCFf6_gnGzaAj8KgZAvS3bhjgmJsf-RLfMH6zeg0Zo0asKEAeEm8OgqXtH3egThJ0c8GyVfNIQ/s1600/psycho-screaming-woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUosMCJEkNncY_P86xw_gtSZdgZW4lNuSqge1xuThoV6zPFW0tS6fphNLg8EcQRQKizJCFf6_gnGzaAj8KgZAvS3bhjgmJsf-RLfMH6zeg0Zo0asKEAeEm8OgqXtH3egThJ0c8GyVfNIQ/s200/psycho-screaming-woman.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">It all came to a head on Saturday last weekend (my wedding
anniversary as well, my poor OH, how he copes with all this is anyone’s guess).
We had decided to take the day as a complete rest day, no gym etc. We
went shopping in my nation’s glorious capital and planned to have a slap up
meal and then on to the cinema to watch The Dark Night Returns. In TK
Maxx the horrors descended with alarming pace. I got hot and flustered,
my temperature raised and my temper flared. It’s not pretty when the red
mist of self loathing descends. It’s quite scary not just for me but for my
other half. Sat in the changing cubical I had those thoughts again; the
ones where I want to punch myself hard and take a knife to my fat. Those
thoughts of utter worthlessness and the voice that screams at you to ‘grow up
and act your age, stop trying to be something you’re not’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought those feelings and thoughts
were long gone, but they reared their head in alarming fashion. And I became so
scared, really very scared, then very angry. On leaving the changing room
I handed the assistant everything, looked at OH and said that I wanted to go
home. So we left Cardiff and headed homeward with me sobbing my heart out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsSoLJASL2AJ0gKP1yQcqqnH-jcq5jW0sULJJ_eAUPDDJ6sc-x3v-tFd2DBugBX_oXUIjeBqjtKoGLA-I10TTCAxoG1M01Kk_iwaxoI0Z7ACUwFY4kZU8YqO5B8bq4zjLntBUiKF11KU/s1600/ok-to-start-again.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdsSoLJASL2AJ0gKP1yQcqqnH-jcq5jW0sULJJ_eAUPDDJ6sc-x3v-tFd2DBugBX_oXUIjeBqjtKoGLA-I10TTCAxoG1M01Kk_iwaxoI0Z7ACUwFY4kZU8YqO5B8bq4zjLntBUiKF11KU/s200/ok-to-start-again.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">What brought on this apparent sudden U turn in my
mental state, I can pinpoint pretty accurately. The weather in the UK has been
awfully drab, wet and humid which doesn’t instil smiles and happiness in the
most positive of people, recent photographs of me performing haven’t been
complimentary at all, and the IT Band issue has hampered my training. I’ve felt
very frumpy and frustrated. Add to that my disappointment in myself with
returning to old habits of secret binge eating of chocolate and crisps, and I
guess it was just waiting to explode. I’m glad it happened when it did
and not 3 months down the line when I have every possibility of it spiralling
out of control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Half way home, I asked OH to turn the car into an
out of town shopping complex and we had a lovely wander around, I bought myself
some new trail shoes for a new goal I’m setting myself and we had our slap up
meal of grilled chicken and salad (the waitress looked at us daft when asked
for no potatoes or sauce) and then dessert was my small salted popcorn at the
cinema whilst watching Batman (great film, go and see it if you can and if you
are a DC fan like me, spot the different story threads from various graphic
novels ). The red mist started to lift a little, and Pandora’s screaming
tantrum lost a little of its steam.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The one thing I’ve learned on this journey is that
you have to be honest if you’re going to journal about it. So that’s why I
wanted to write about it here. I think this whole blog has been so
cathartic that it’s made me realise there is a light at the end of the very
long tunnel, and though there are light switches along the way, sometimes there
has to be a power cut to help you refocus and march to the next switch and turn
the light back on again. The light isn’t fully back on yet, I know from experience
that it takes a few days but there’s a flickering ember on the filament and
that tells me the power is there just building up in the background so a little
time and it’ll be back to full wattage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXGX0tyRRQJFYxO_hLaTXobJoQeQ7-l6gF8OpivsMuT7mk_39gJISrCJAR3fYuMi6AAw9RJOKeckjOEXjs65WQ1XyPZh9EPHUtT6qtVs0vvPp1rcp-GgnnieFKMeEUzwlGJmkn2-tZ-Q/s1600/IMG_0524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqXGX0tyRRQJFYxO_hLaTXobJoQeQ7-l6gF8OpivsMuT7mk_39gJISrCJAR3fYuMi6AAw9RJOKeckjOEXjs65WQ1XyPZh9EPHUtT6qtVs0vvPp1rcp-GgnnieFKMeEUzwlGJmkn2-tZ-Q/s200/IMG_0524.JPG" width="132" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team Triaxis</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Apart from that, everything else has been amazing!
Well apart from the ITB injury – grrrr. We had our Race for Life (CJ and
I) and we did really well considering I’ve not been able to run more than 3km
without the knee giving in. We completed the 5km course in exactly 30
minutes. So happy with that, and CJ was a godsend, being that little
voice of extra motivation when my knee really started to hurt. We raised
£711.50 which I’m thrilled with, especially as OH’s cousin is going through
treatment for breast cancer right at this moment. Cancer Research UK is a cause
very dear to me as is, so it’s important that I keep doing these races.
One day we will beat it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHa2v5zsX8ssnY_DWfx4O8Y3Ld7xlDWtoV2NBOq9px9Sz1BP062fRR3h5uPEutazsFMoN2o1OD_CB5tWTIFcmLbAF6PLh_QxEUDiDrL_7ErfVdEYLgZUx4xVdusZKrWZJP1xrPa2KDr5M/s1600/IMG_0521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHa2v5zsX8ssnY_DWfx4O8Y3Ld7xlDWtoV2NBOq9px9Sz1BP062fRR3h5uPEutazsFMoN2o1OD_CB5tWTIFcmLbAF6PLh_QxEUDiDrL_7ErfVdEYLgZUx4xVdusZKrWZJP1xrPa2KDr5M/s200/IMG_0521.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6 Races, 6 Medals.<br />
There will be more!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">So where am I currently?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">Well after my episode on the weekend, I
dusted myself off and started afresh almost immediately (no sauce or potatoes remember?),
instead of waiting until Monday and thinking ‘Hell, I’ve blown it all anyway I
may as well wait until Monday’. No sir, not me.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">This time I got myself back together, and stopped the slip
becoming the slide. So since then I’ve gone cold turkey on the chocolate and
crisps, and to be honest today was the first day I’ve thought ‘ooh I fancy...’
but I’ve dug my heels in.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">It’s
just not worth it. Since Sunday I’ve been back to clean-eating; lots of vegetables,
lean proteins, brown rice, fruit and nuts. Water is the order of the day, and
lots of it.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">And within five days
I noticed my skin was much clearer, I have more energy and I'd lost the
weight I had regained through my binge eating plus and extra pound for good
measure.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px;">My body fat is finally
sitting at exactly 30%, only another 5% to get shot of so I’ll be in the
healthy range.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzEAumroPKBPnKn7ztOImhCGFY8AnQz-Yi1FzJOb7kEKJE6bCrfH2iVV2GeDSuOa0kWb3OFFPaAWY8NqWuBRs482XFQDUBX5anrTgTiWTT_o6CGwL2afIQSvLcVjdccKSy7oPW5YfDAU/s1600/IT-BandKem42B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibzEAumroPKBPnKn7ztOImhCGFY8AnQz-Yi1FzJOb7kEKJE6bCrfH2iVV2GeDSuOa0kWb3OFFPaAWY8NqWuBRs482XFQDUBX5anrTgTiWTT_o6CGwL2afIQSvLcVjdccKSy7oPW5YfDAU/s200/IT-BandKem42B1.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I have sought physiotherapy for the injury and it
was as I thought, I have IT Band Syndrome. My symptoms have been caused by
something we in my pole school have affectionately termed ‘lazy arse syndrome’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The medial gluteus has ceased to take
on its correct function and a couple of the muscles in the quadriceps have
taken control instead, so the leg chain is all out of kilter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a weak posterior Medial Gluteus
on the right hand side (for all you anatomy buffs out there). And instead of
that dictating the movement of the leg chain, the body has opted for the strong
muscles to take over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain
that this ‘cheating’ creates is unbelievable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s like someone scraping a razor blade on the lateral side
of the knee. Because the work is being done by the quads, the IT band has shrunk
slightly and starts to rub on the outside of the knee joint, hence the pain on
the top of the tibia. However, treatment is simple and it doesn’t stop you
doing the vast majority of your workouts, just running becomes painful after
around 3km, so no running for me for a while until the IT band resumes its
correct position in the leg and I do some interesting Pilates based leg
exercises to strengthen my gluteus. I just have to be patient and not try to
run before I can walk (quite literally in this case).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve switch the treadmill for the cross trainer but I have
an appointment next week to see if I can resume short 1.5/2km runs to see how the
IT band is doing.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Pole has been going from strength to strength, and
that’s not just figuratively speaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have conquered the cross ankle and cress knee releases after
overcoming my fear of just letting go. I have mastered the Eye Opener (or Hello
Boys) and Lady garden wrist seat positions, Crucifix hold is in place and I’m
now inverting and did my first inverted crucifix with Dawn’s guidance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have also started a Choreography and
Sass class and have the most fun doing routines to some cracking rock
tracks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My upper body strength is
on the increase all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
love pole, it’s the best fun ever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I’ve taken on my first client with weight loss
coaching. She’s a wonderful, amazing and talented woman and I’m thrilled she’s
asked me to be her coach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In many
ways she’s been a great help to me to regain my focus as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After all I can’t be a coach to someone
if I’m not leading by example?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m
really excited about helping her fulfil her goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s so determined and positive; she’s a real breath of
fresh air.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZd-z8pBaj0LI7dfdDTMRFUmSqGbF2gihGxJlcPRUq7DY6OyBg8eync0qBghPbxyUed95xeMmKZN6tOdVXROuhvT44Hp5lzL_kVjeMuhdG1CUc8W3yaEpUfoSnxk-xGoBh7ttRgGF0F5s/s1600/IMG_0561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZd-z8pBaj0LI7dfdDTMRFUmSqGbF2gihGxJlcPRUq7DY6OyBg8eync0qBghPbxyUed95xeMmKZN6tOdVXROuhvT44Hp5lzL_kVjeMuhdG1CUc8W3yaEpUfoSnxk-xGoBh7ttRgGF0F5s/s200/IMG_0561.jpg" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I’ve completed the nutrition element of personal
training (very happy with that) and have just received my advanced anatomy and
physiology course book as well as the dates for the taught section of my
Advance Training Approaches module.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Once those are complete I only have two remaining modules and I qualify
as a Certified Personal Trainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While
I’m building my client base I will start working on the three modules to
progress to Advanced PT and the Level 4 module in Obesity and Diabetes. I have
a plan written out and so far, apart from the hiccup in Nov 2011 where we had
to pay for a new kitchen roof, all is on course for 2013 to be the year I start
the Personal Training arm of the new venture in full swing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am beyond excited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">I've also set myself a new goal. I've joined the Spartan Chicks and am gearing up to compete in the <a href="http://www.spartanrace.com/index.html" target="_blank">Spartan</a> series of races. These are obstacle races set over varying distances. The Sprint is over 3miles, the Super over 8 miles and the Beast over 12 miles, there is also the Super Beast which is marathon distance (26.2miles) and the Death Race, an endurance event over 48 hours and no real know distance mixing mud, obstacles, metal agility and stamina. Yep I'm going to get myself muddy in the name of fitness and fun. Mostly because I want to do them, but secondly because why the hell not? I'll start out slow with a few Sprints, and work my way up. And, if all goes well fitness wise, I'd like to attempt the Trifecta in 2014 and the the Super Beast and Death Race in 2015 - when I'll be celebrating hitting 40 ;) So something to aim for.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYGtMxDfuK263Gj4IaizkSq2qZQcohXbE4N_-0-UYmacqauK9M6Bfw95wadTfGxVU8BRxdwvKtygHaBNkXTehEFtk49zB-HBx9sg4eKDtzmEyRislpZNVd38CQYqDVHZTU81iIjzsXao/s1600/SPARTAN_Chicked_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFYGtMxDfuK263Gj4IaizkSq2qZQcohXbE4N_-0-UYmacqauK9M6Bfw95wadTfGxVU8BRxdwvKtygHaBNkXTehEFtk49zB-HBx9sg4eKDtzmEyRislpZNVd38CQYqDVHZTU81iIjzsXao/s320/SPARTAN_Chicked_logo.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You better believe it!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Strangely putting all that down in this blog has
made me smile and appreciate that I’ve done a lot of late and I have much to look forward to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been through a small rough patch
but ultimately in the grand scheme of things everything is still very positive.
The injury will improve with care, my self esteem is back in the increase and
even the weather has improved slightly (for how long is anyone’s guess).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Told you this blog thing was cathartic.
Here’s a little motivational poster I found on the day I had my attack of the
horrors, it reminded me that sometimes we need to look back to appreciate where
we are going:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLGNORq9F2iD91DiIelTvA3xqiFh9DEy3Wu2nYL0t3BXLfTdHvkHBnlViaywENzRRTXzGRB2V0KjTULDvENHt9XKvu1K3NY14JWL9TNgZJyQF0X0LrJmfvzvGkfSrOFUm-eP8uzKe9SE/s1600/265923552967987611_6K9ZkYuS_f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHLGNORq9F2iD91DiIelTvA3xqiFh9DEy3Wu2nYL0t3BXLfTdHvkHBnlViaywENzRRTXzGRB2V0KjTULDvENHt9XKvu1K3NY14JWL9TNgZJyQF0X0LrJmfvzvGkfSrOFUm-eP8uzKe9SE/s320/265923552967987611_6K9ZkYuS_f.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Be kind to yourself, even when that voice shouts
and you can’t hear anything but her.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Much love, as always,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Krissie <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';">xx</span></div>Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-75184164727920177062012-06-02T00:43:00.000+01:002012-06-03T23:02:15.413+01:00By Jove, I think I've cracked it.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, when I say cracked it, I don't think I've figured out a definitive 'this is what you should do way' of ensuring you feel comfortable in your own skin, but for me personally I've had a bit of a breakthrough.<br />
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I suppose a lot of it has been to do with the accepting that I'm not wonder woman after all, that I can't do everything and also that I need to just let certain things go, drift off and not worry about them so unnecessarily. It's been quite the breakthrough 12 months since I decided that I needed to start figuring out what exactly it would take to regain my inner peace. It rarely bothered me as a kid what others thought of me yet through much of my adult life it's been of massive concern. I'm still not 100% sure why that is, and if Freud were still alive he'd probably ask my to take a seat and tell him about my mother. But really I think the most of it stems from my weight issues.<br />
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And this is where the biggest leap forward comes into play.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXiIRaEnR1OdcKtHKKZe42x0eSE4q4453pKryqowoMokdRUFwV9xsxkq9K5uiNOv_-XqJu31od24Fo0EakhLGNA55U0tlOquIPNDvBj9zL08ZJNsgWjucZ25rNkOypjWNbMOG3mDjH6I/s1600/change+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXiIRaEnR1OdcKtHKKZe42x0eSE4q4453pKryqowoMokdRUFwV9xsxkq9K5uiNOv_-XqJu31od24Fo0EakhLGNA55U0tlOquIPNDvBj9zL08ZJNsgWjucZ25rNkOypjWNbMOG3mDjH6I/s200/change+2.jpg" width="200" /></a>2 weeks ago I was sat on the sofa having my usual banter with the hubby and discussing the day's happenings when it dawned on me... I'm really comfortable being 12 stone in weight. I'm not displeased, berating myself, calling myself names, I'm not fat (well technically I'm still overweight according to medical definitions but I'm in the best shape I've ever been in my adult life), I'm active, healthy, in a size 14 (straight off the hanger I might add) and doing the things I love to do.<br />
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I actually realised that I might not lose anymore weight, body fat yes and maybe a couple of pounds but I will gain muscle, I will be smaller but I'll still weight roughly the same. And that's OK, in fact that's perfectly fine and I'm happy with that. I look in the mirror and she's gone, the hephalump, big tonne Bess who stared at me for so many years, and Pandora is really quiet, no snide quips, no derogatory remarks. I look in the mirror and for the first time in a very long time I actually see me. And she's not half bad. This is a massive leap forward, I'm utterly accepting of myself and though I might still want to ditch some body fat (but that's because I want to have that sleek muscular look) the number on the scale is finally meaningless.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KskGAJCVR9WFcG2fqKxXHLAhSIp4gbTBa0FieAIMLJWxXjlnsz3DL54yrYe_Y1DOvRb3BO5A9X2V9VphtGV44G2XqHnrqRyU4J0ySlpLyx8bUH3t2tg87wzYb4LLrr_OKo8amA2DM0k/s1600/Success.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KskGAJCVR9WFcG2fqKxXHLAhSIp4gbTBa0FieAIMLJWxXjlnsz3DL54yrYe_Y1DOvRb3BO5A9X2V9VphtGV44G2XqHnrqRyU4J0ySlpLyx8bUH3t2tg87wzYb4LLrr_OKo8amA2DM0k/s200/Success.jpg" width="200" /></a>So this breakthrough comes, and I decide that to really ensure I'm looking after my new found mental equilibrium that it's time to just do some final adjustments on my food habits. Mainly sugar. I have a reaction to it and I break out in spots. I'm pretty sure it causes my skin oil to increase production and I can always tell when I've had a lot of sugar as I have an outbreak. So out went the daily treats and now it's a couple of squares (literally 2) of chocolate, maybe some berries and cream, and possibly on the odd occasion a Krissie friendly cake from Starbucks, but otherwise the rice cakes with chocolate and the ginger truffle squares have all been ditched (plus as they are all free from, they cost a bomb too). The decision on the sugary treats was reached last Friday when the last of the cakes in the cupboard were eaten. We just decided not to buy anymore. So last Friday (May 27th) that was that. I get on the scale yesterday morning (to check my body fat percentage more than anything) and BAM, I've lost 3lbs in weight and 2% body fat. GO FIGURE!<br />
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I'm now at 165lbs, I've lost a total of 85lbs. And to top it all off, I'm 1lb away from being no longer clinically overweight. For the first time in 15 years, if that last pound drops off, I'll cease to be overweight officially.....<br />
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That's made my day, that has. Oh and I managed 40 full press ups on Tuesday this week, not all in one go of course, I did a set of 10, then did my cardio drill, then did 10 repeated my cardio drill and so on and so forth. Which reminds me tomorrow I'll update my workout page. BUT, and this is the huge thing. If I do ever get to 10stone 10lbs (150lbs) then great but you know what, it's absolutely no biggee if I don't. I really am finally happy in my own skin and I don't think it's the number on my scale, that's not important anymore. I think what's helped me reach this milestone has been all the research into eating habits, thought processes of why I was turning to food, learning to let go of issues new and old and ultimately realising only I have the power to make myself happy or sad, and I choose happy every time. Nothing beats this feeling.... not even chocolate.<br />
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As always, be kind to yourself, you deserve it.<br />
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Much love<br />
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Krissie<br />
xKrissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-66259227608166313962012-05-17T16:15:00.000+01:002012-05-17T16:28:35.536+01:00We're all prone to injury and stupidity....For those of you who follow my madness on myfitnesspal, you'll have all heard me mention that I've been exceptionally intermittent with my trips to the gym. The reason for that is that I aggravated my iliotibial band a few weeks ago.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWBbfksTaQVJXm0gE_yIMB9OrfSC2Cnhl43IWLAfTgJBNVGfDdugGyPhxht_vSG6U7hFm1PRicQBOvT0PLB_H1_aTWuDmH0ztLqbHCqRv-xMvS4qZjTNhKjQfeJ2L0VlGWvPmltgKSdk/s1600/iliotibial_band_diag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="136" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWBbfksTaQVJXm0gE_yIMB9OrfSC2Cnhl43IWLAfTgJBNVGfDdugGyPhxht_vSG6U7hFm1PRicQBOvT0PLB_H1_aTWuDmH0ztLqbHCqRv-xMvS4qZjTNhKjQfeJ2L0VlGWvPmltgKSdk/s200/iliotibial_band_diag.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
A few factors have added to the aggravation but the main reason that my knee joint was slightly out of kilter is that I clattered my foot on the steel frame of my piano stool when practicing a move on my pole at home. I badly bruised the outside of my right foot and in doing so I then started to compensate for the pain in my foot by what is called over pronation. In other words instead of walking naturally, I unconsiously placed more empahsis on rolling the foot inwards so the pain on the outside of the foot wouldn't be felt. It's something we all have a tendancy to do - you've hurt your elbow so you rest your arm slightly over in the other direction to stop it hurting, but you often don't realise you've done it. Having no idea that this is what I'd done I carried on training and also started running outdoors.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4CagNO7igaG8dcN3ABl8dxesO7CDuJjufCP2aW3N_nKojc4CR7vi3_41f2tGY-kB9owl06y9rgxlEHDBU_MnkMu5X3Tb_x6r-Ba8U9JRdnyr_Fya3pX26TCqBk67ys8LagrZnQRjuwQ/s1600/The-Female-Body-Breakthrough-9781605296937.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb4CagNO7igaG8dcN3ABl8dxesO7CDuJjufCP2aW3N_nKojc4CR7vi3_41f2tGY-kB9owl06y9rgxlEHDBU_MnkMu5X3Tb_x6r-Ba8U9JRdnyr_Fya3pX26TCqBk67ys8LagrZnQRjuwQ/s200/The-Female-Body-Breakthrough-9781605296937.jpg" width="164" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great read - recommended</td></tr>
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A few weeks later I started a new training programme and one that I recommend as it's full of great ideas for excercises that you don't necessarily need a gym for. In this programme there are lots of compound exercises, such as romainian single leg dead lifts (you have a dumbell in one hand and your stand on the opposite leg, you then bend from the hip and touch the dumbell to the floor) and Bulgarian split squats (you have one leg up on a bench and you squat to drop the back knee to the floor - tough little blighters). There is also the overhead squat, and this was where my stubborness came back to bite me on the arse. As I back squat 35kg, I in my finite wisdom thought 30kg for overhead squatting would be fine! WRONG! Instead of dropping to 10kg and perfecting technique, I went all guns blazing with wrong form and did 8 reps at 30kg. Needless to say I soon dropped the weight down (to 20kg, i should have gone lower) and did another 8 reps. I honestly thought my shoulders and knees were about to implode. I instantly did what I do when something doesn't feel right or I don't like it, I decided I couldn't do it and settled on omitting it permenantly from my programme. (Have I mentioned I can be stubborn and obstinate?) I'm also happy to admit when I've gone too far or done something daft, and going that heavy on a new move was just plain stupid. What I should have done is researched the move on youtube before I tried it in the gym and dropped the weight to the lowest barbell of 5kg and worked up as I have done with everything else - and that is something I recomend to you if you are doing any strength training without a PT (I'd advise you get a PT first as last as they are worth their weight in gold but if you can't youtube is an amazing tool and perfect your form before you move up the weights)<br />
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After that interesting take on squatting, I resumed with my split squats, deadlifts etc, a 3km run, used the foam roller, stretched and ended my session. I felt fantastic, overhead squatting dissapointment aside. The following weekend I was at one of my LRP events and on the first night of lots of walking up and down sand dunes etc a searing pain encompassed my right knee. I've not felt pain like that ever. On the flat I was fine, but walking uphill, downhill and attempting to run, I was in utter agony. The pain eased after the event was over and things went back to normal. I decided that I would give my limbs a rest form the gym for a little while and concentrate on pole for the performance and as life was getting in the way. <br />
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I got back in the gym at the end of April and did a 2km run. Towards the end of the run my knee started to aggravate again. Two days later I purchased a pair of new shoes and it was by wearing these flat shoes that I realised that the outside of my right foot was a little painful, and that's when I thought that I had possibly been over pronating my foot. I looked up over pronation and true to form there was the symptom that proved the fact, the lower end of the IT band being caused aggrivation but the knee joint being slightly out of place. Having done heavy weights, ran and treked all over the sand dunes of South Wales while turning my foot in slightly had added to the irritation that was leaving me in agony.<br />
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So having made the concious effort to realign my foot and walk correctly, ensure that I foam roller every day and have had my IT band seen to it's all looking good for a full recovery. I got in the gym yesterday and did a 2.5km run and not a niggle in sight. This pleases me immensely as I have my annual Race for Life coming up in Juy and I'd like to best my result of 30mins 30seconds for the 5Km from last year.<br />
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So the programme restarted on Tuesday, I did a cardio intensive programme on Wednesday and I'll be strength training on Friday (tomorrow). Must remember that slow and steady wins the race, and if i'm injured I can't run for charity or attend my pole dancing class. Must stop getting too over excited by the new shiny things ;)<br />
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Anyways, be kind to yourself always<br />
Much love<br />
Krissie<br />
xKrissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-59175137611743273922012-05-17T11:30:00.001+01:002012-05-17T11:52:46.430+01:00So I faced my fear....<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">
I know I've been harping on about it for the whole week over on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/KrissieKirby">Facebook</a> page but this is something huge for me, well I suppose it's something huge for anyone who has battled with their own self image. But last Saturday my pole dance school put on a Birthday Showcase to celebrate the studio having been open for a whole year. Students, seasoned performers and our instructor all put on a show to raise money for Ty Olwen Trust (a hospice for palliative care in Swansea). </div>
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We raised the amazing amount of £600. I am so very very pleased to have been a small part in that.<br />
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Getting your legs out in tiny Daisy Dukes for all unsundry to see isn't my usually idea of fun. As you all know from reading this blog I've battled with my own insecurities when it comes to my body and how I (and vainly how others) perceive it. I think it's fair to say we all do, make and female alike. So to not only wear revealing (for me) attire and then to pole dance in said attire to an audience of almost 100 people?? Yep that's a scary prospect. Armed with Rainbow's Lady of the Lake, and adopting the stage name Annie Rage Dio (yeah I know, I couldn't help myself), I donned the denim hot pants, my slashed Iced Earth T and with lots of hair flying about the place I danced a fairly ok routine for 3 and half minutes. And I actually enjoyed it.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEFbtrQE_nDGERrTyKFm_rizkEKxjU83ojUuLKFA8cU8a5sG-4zebhTE_FdP0_I-I76M5jtzhqfFrCr7xLFo9TH6H6B4l6w4MqGExbD9SVVCZkiITizJsXKQKS8ab0K7JIxoBKTf-ngk/s1600/pole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyEFbtrQE_nDGERrTyKFm_rizkEKxjU83ojUuLKFA8cU8a5sG-4zebhTE_FdP0_I-I76M5jtzhqfFrCr7xLFo9TH6H6B4l6w4MqGExbD9SVVCZkiITizJsXKQKS8ab0K7JIxoBKTf-ngk/s200/pole.jpg" width="163" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yep that's me on the pole giving the horns</td></tr>
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I am exceptionally proud that even though nerves had rendered me a wreck for the best part of 3 days on the run up to the performance, I still sucked it up and did it. It was remeniscent of taking that first step into the gym and fearing that everyone was looking at and judging you. Only difference is this time everyone IS looking at you. You are on your own, it's just you and a 50mm thick, 10 foot tall piece of steel on a platform. As I had said to my fellow students, you can put me on a stage in jeans and a tshirt with mic in hand and I will feel the utterly at home, it's MY stage and you will pay attention. But this, this was something else. </div>
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On the pole you are exposed, there is only your body and how it moves to wow the audience with. There is only your strength and poise to gain approval. BUT and this was the thing I learned the most from doing this, there is also confidence. Attack it as though it's something you do everyday, and suddenly, what nerves? They flew out the window and I realised, 'hang on I'm enjoying this, and the crowd are whooping and appluading' and I didn't fall off. (Thankfully). Things I have learned from the day are: if you forget the moves just keep moving and flicking that hair; point your toes more; straighten out the legs for a smoother line; and build on upper body strength further. But I am very pleased with how it all went. And I am exceptionally proud of my fellow students/performers and of Dawn for being an inspiration.</div>
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As for the new target well, I didn't hit my weightloss target but I have lost 3 inches all over in the last month so that has pleased me and I haven't put on an weight either. I have started a new training routine which I've only managed to complete 4 sessions of end of March and then ended up with a sore knee (due to something else not the new routine) but that's a blog for another day.</div>
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2012 for me is all about embracing the fear; fear of those things that sit in the back of the mind; those things that you look at others doing and think 'if only'. This year I've been making it my mission to say 'why not?' Why not me to be the one to take the bull by the horns and start learning a new skill, why not then take that skill and run with it at a performance level? And that's exactly what I did. I have many people to thank for helping me embrace the fear on this the first of my challenges that I've set myself and they know who they are.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZMBhCf6QEUqDcmPE4pPqVw2xB_x5FYjecTxIQRk-kpRXfqvxUKq9IsTkN-4HGbe6yZlxpS7xeL9_1UZilnj5WjmMCKof6kui7URVdkx2_Vo5VIk-gX4CJwnd8SwXtGgrYpGF8a4Q8REE/s1600/good+job.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZMBhCf6QEUqDcmPE4pPqVw2xB_x5FYjecTxIQRk-kpRXfqvxUKq9IsTkN-4HGbe6yZlxpS7xeL9_1UZilnj5WjmMCKof6kui7URVdkx2_Vo5VIk-gX4CJwnd8SwXtGgrYpGF8a4Q8REE/s200/good+job.jpg" width="144" /></a>So hello personal acceptance with my body, hello new found confidence about performing in public and not solely relying on my voice, hello to the me that I've been looking for for quite some time. I always knew you were in here somewhere.</div>
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So what's next in my challenges for this year. Well.... I'll tell you more on it another time ;)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYel0QatseScecM675546u8vHXh7xGHO7_lk0dwe7n7w6HRvc3hugYGlRe1_HNd1qZq0R7Ui_UlOc25m-n9c0TQ3WGSw6Bft6omlGS62yeQkZAP_g360H-ExGDnl-x-IGir5fFSQqSdU/s200/be-kind.jpg" width="129" /></a>Until then, be kind to yourself, as always</div>
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Much love</div>
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Krissie</div>
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xKrissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-29502467031884392912012-03-13T19:11:00.002+00:002012-03-13T20:09:52.987+00:00A New Target, and do something scary? Oh, OK then...<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIREg8rNs4zJJ_JbUfjjj5u3DArcIidjNXEoWv0peiR12tJQWpJAm22TvEtW1TwujUYnlN2fAx9tfmwIH959_r8ysxvBxmjHuOPDvj4Vrz1thFhG8ZqS52s_c8xN4B4D0mQRbwdV5axkg/s1600/pole_dancing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIREg8rNs4zJJ_JbUfjjj5u3DArcIidjNXEoWv0peiR12tJQWpJAm22TvEtW1TwujUYnlN2fAx9tfmwIH959_r8ysxvBxmjHuOPDvj4Vrz1thFhG8ZqS52s_c8xN4B4D0mQRbwdV5axkg/s320/pole_dancing.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One day I will be able to do this :D</td></tr>
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I've become enamoured with the idea that we should all embrace doing something that scares the bejesus out of us. One of those scary things, for me, is showing my far from perfect body in public in less than a tshirt and jeans. So to do something that invloves having as much bare skin available as possible, in public....well *bites nails*! I'm not talking naked, oh no but shorts and cropped top and I'm talking shorts as in Daisy Duke's for those that can remember the Dukes of Hazard. So after a very strenuous and fun pole dancing class last night, I have decided to bite the bullet and do my first solo performance in May.<br />
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I'm not very good at this stage, I hasten to add, as I'm still learning the basics, I've only been doing proper classes for 10 weeks so far. The spins I am fairly competent with, my climb is getting stronger and I can now sit on the pole with just my legs keeping me from sliding into an ungraceful heap at the foot of the stage (yes I did shout 'Look Ma, no hands' when I finally let go of the pole and just used my legs to maintain grip). However, I have yet to master some of the extensions and I haven't even begun on the inversions. I have 8 weeks before the performance. I should also perhaps stop shouting 'weeeeeeeeeeeee' as I fall into the Kamikazi spin :D<br />
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The routine will be done only in front of my class mates, other students at my dance school and our family and friends. And it is for charity. But to say I'm a little apprehensive is an understatement. I know I will only be doing spins and tricks that I am capable of doing at this stage, but me being me I want to be hanging up side down by only my toes or something rediculous like that. I've always wanted to run before I could walk, and that shows no sign of changing as I get older. So the old adge of older and wiser ummmm no doesn't exist apparently! I have fallen utterly in love with pole dancing. It's something I've always wanted to try. I've never really viewed myself as a sexy person, or a graceful dancer - think more elephant from Fantasia - so to do something that can utilise the strength I do have, build on it, increase my flexibility and be a honest to goodness work out, oh and may just happen to give the illusion of being slightly sexier than a hephalump, then I'm game for it. I'm so in love with it I've bought my own pole. Hurrah!<br />
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Armed with Thunder's 'I Love You More Than Rock'n'Roll' (and with a list of 5 other rock and metal tracks that I want to start choreographing routines too), you can say that the bug really has bitten hard. Now I just need to buy some knee pads for rehearsing so I can stop the perpetual bruising on my left knee.<br />
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But what about the new target? Well it's just under nine weeks until the performance and I have 18lbs left to lose to get to my goal weight of 150lbs. There is absolutely no reason why I cannot lose at least 8lbs of that before the performance if not a little more. I've set my target to 10lbs loss. I'm aiming to be 158 - 160lbs by the time I perform. And this is the start of the final push. The end goal is in sight and I'm more determined than ever to get to it. Everytime I get on the treadmill or lift that weight I see her, the me I know I'm meant to be, smiling at that goal line (still with Platinum discs for music and Personal Trainer of the Year award in hand). It's a powerful image. If I lose that 10lbs by the performance then I'm in last half a stone terriroty.... I'm almost there. I'm so damned close. Hovering in the 75-80lb loss mark as I had for the best part of 3 months, the motivation although still there was nowhere near as strong. It was almost a 'well, if it's going to come off it will come off when it's ready' sort of attitude. Now I've broke out of that limbo and the weight has started to decrease again I'm looking at it with a renewed determination and I've taken back the control on that attitude. It's no longer a case of thinking it'll come off when it's ready, it's more of an it's coming off period, attitude.<br />
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Pole dancing hasn't just helped in the 'get stronger' stakes, it's given me a new found confidence with my own body. I have stretch marks and scars from weight gain, both visable and in the old noggin' but they are my scars, I own them and I am proud of them as they have helped me become the person I am now. They are war wounds from many battles and the war is over, I've won! I'm healthier than I have ever been. I am happier than I have ever been and I am so passionate about this new found way of being that I want to help everyone reap the benefits of lifestyle change for the better And if I can do that and have fun swinging from a 50mm thick pole in high heels screaming 'weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee' as I spin..... well why the bloody hell not eh? I'll let you know how it goes and if it's good, I may even post a video....possibly. ;)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFn7DEgrYK-3zPoyUXXD6EC6xBWxg5gcdYgPr_Vnz4qLDgrCVhOKWybvAMJW5MxDfe1Cl9JE4SdNG7B_mFVKZkGf0Vb5kA-iMP-Se0aF_I6SIuyqxODECkt8EW2l3nFnfnxRJjeAEBbQ/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYFn7DEgrYK-3zPoyUXXD6EC6xBWxg5gcdYgPr_Vnz4qLDgrCVhOKWybvAMJW5MxDfe1Cl9JE4SdNG7B_mFVKZkGf0Vb5kA-iMP-Se0aF_I6SIuyqxODECkt8EW2l3nFnfnxRJjeAEBbQ/s320/photo.jpg" width="179" /></a>Be kind to yourself, always, you rock!<br />
And Much love<br />
Krissie<br />
xKrissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-21197917124591761182012-03-12T00:00:00.000+00:002012-03-12T00:00:53.705+00:00Another Non Scale Victory....hurrah!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So for, oh I don't know how long, I've been on the hunt for a pair of jeans that will not make me look like I'm wearing incontinence pants or that I'm wearing a waist band a size too small giving that 'muffin' top impression - or worse still both at the same time, which is what my current jeans appear to do.<br />
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I have hunted high and low, scoured through racks of jeans, cotton jeans style trousers, bootcut, slim leg, skinny, wide leg, jeans at full price, half price and all the other various offers there have been with no sign of finding a pair that fit, or will not stretch too far and will not make me feel like I'm not a frumpy old bird on stage.<br />
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Lo, today broke that trend. The hubby and I decided to go shopping. Mainly for me to find some new training bottoms, but I thought what the heck, lets take a trip to the Levi's store and see what they've got. I've not been able to go in that store without feeling like the fat pretender for a very long time. The last time I owned a pair of kosher Levi's jeans I was about 23 and weighed about 145lbs. Today I decided to suck it up and see if I actually had achieved one of the win conditions I set myself 6 years ago or if I was still going to be that blubbering wreck in the changing room as I have been in the past.<br />
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You see, I distinctly recall when a friend of mine was getting married. My mother being the wonderful woman she is, took me shopping (my big sister came along too) to buy a new outfit for the wedding. I tried on various outfits and eventually I had to settle for a skirt and jacket ensemble that did nothing for my figure or self esteem. I broke my heart in the changing rooms that day. Nothing I tried would fit bar this purple mottled suit. Not my best week by a long shot. The daft thing is that this didn't stop the downward spiral. I got bigger after that day, and I think part of it was the old 'Oh nothing fits now, I'm never going to be thin, I'm never going to be this that and the other'. It's so hard when that thinking becomes the norm. It's difficult to really break that cycle. As the years went on, the hubby was witness to many occasions where I would walk out of changing rooms angry with myself, crying at the fact nothing I wanted to wear would fit this size 26 (uk) weighing in at almost 18 stone girl. It wore me out.<br />
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But fast forward back to today. Oh my, what a feeling!<br />
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I picked up the blackest jeans that Levi's had in store. I chose the pair that (ok they are the widest waist they have at 32 inches) I thought would be the roughly right size. Now considering that I haven't measured my waistline in about 2 months, I'm thinking at this point I should have actually measured waist and hips before leaving the house but hey ho. I headed to the changing rooms, removed the current jeans (which are 2 size too big now) and placed each leg into the jeans in turn. I have to be honest I was quite apprehensive at this point and I was really waiting for the jeans to hit my upper thighs and not go any further. But no, they slipped on like a glove, the button closed without having the breathe in (how many of us have done that?) and there was no muffin top. Yes there was a squeal. <br />
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I left the changing rooms, the store clerk asked if they were ok, I regaled her with the tale of how it's been 12 years at least since I could fit into a pair of Levi's and then I walked to the counter picked up a second pair and paid - again telling the assistant behind the counter the same story with a stupid big grin on my face (I complimented her on her rather fabulous purple hat so that was my way of thanking her for listening to the exciting ramblings of this loon) and I walked out of Levi's with 2 pairs of jeans and a huge ego boost.<br />
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And the upshot of all this? It's made me ever more determined to hit my target weight loss of 100lbs. Because if that's the feeling I get now, then the feeling I'm going to get when I hit that target is going to be something pretty special. And yes there will be a huge blog when that day comes.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijr5ZqlUrd8onPBduC4etuL1TbwQUr7vAe-slvklti1fcWk6BExABHPRs0NUg6zPnUn_LtgTiMSxz9L_m3owJPX_OWGjqbMz-0joWexJ382Y7NAas-7Wz5T36VP5skZrIvFEDrFcCmLjY/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijr5ZqlUrd8onPBduC4etuL1TbwQUr7vAe-slvklti1fcWk6BExABHPRs0NUg6zPnUn_LtgTiMSxz9L_m3owJPX_OWGjqbMz-0joWexJ382Y7NAas-7Wz5T36VP5skZrIvFEDrFcCmLjY/s200/be-kind.jpg" width="129" /></a>Be kind to yourself, always.<br />
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Much love<br />
Krissie<br />
xKrissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-79668183332104869242012-02-16T10:40:00.003+00:002012-02-16T14:47:28.066+00:00Listen up sweet craving demon in my head....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yes I think we all have one of these little demons that sit in our head shouting at us loudly, 'Sugar I demand sugar' to the point it drive us insane. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72t0x95xlxTQGZExxHqNs67UzXxTKHahHtaq3_L7qmYIYHIoHfN1Jm6jfHB22EwvnYE3wxXlPEDKkatB_zQIDz-61eBtphnrSm3AV-IfsCD8InnIPa6KqyXvMWLIsrwsOhWemM3JMr9o/s1600/chocolate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh72t0x95xlxTQGZExxHqNs67UzXxTKHahHtaq3_L7qmYIYHIoHfN1Jm6jfHB22EwvnYE3wxXlPEDKkatB_zQIDz-61eBtphnrSm3AV-IfsCD8InnIPa6KqyXvMWLIsrwsOhWemM3JMr9o/s200/chocolate.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Well today my little demon sugar addict and I have had a chat. I've laid down the law to it and told it that I will plicate it only when I deem it fit. My biggest downfall has always been my sweet tooth. I have a love hate relationship with sugary things, especially chocolate. I love sugary treats with a passion, too much passion, but after consumption they fill me with a self loathing and hatred that I gave in to the sweet tooth and that I sabotaged my own great day of healthy eating. When I say I give in I don't mean I've had 2 squares of Lindt, oh no I'll have eaten the whole bar. There are days I really can't stop myself. I HAVE to have it. <br />
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I'm still learning to forgive myself for these great big misdomenours and eventually I know that my brain will figure all this out. That the little grey cells will realise sugar isn't really needed as I'm getting plenty of polysaccarides from other sources not just that wonderful, dark, silky delight called chocolate. I know that the old grey matter will catchup eventually, but eventually in now no longer good enough. Now it's time to take the reigns off the sugar demon in my head and qwell it's cries for sweet satisfaction once and for all.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GCybJEbxvVry-qREH4J3OZohGI1ekc4bF7PXQonyNd_ckf7WKFwzm5RVsOcrM56ndaoc-0SCSBbfSwvWlnCYgEvY66ynA74ehjpuohQM9Xe7qcoC6_e3QF_-r-Jee5VoSTIYvwDaJbs/s1600/hypnosis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0GCybJEbxvVry-qREH4J3OZohGI1ekc4bF7PXQonyNd_ckf7WKFwzm5RVsOcrM56ndaoc-0SCSBbfSwvWlnCYgEvY66ynA74ehjpuohQM9Xe7qcoC6_e3QF_-r-Jee5VoSTIYvwDaJbs/s200/hypnosis.jpg" width="200" /></a>Yes it's time for self hypnosis. I'm a firm believer in the power of the mind, that you can be exactly who you want to be through training the brain. It's something that I used when I first gave up smoking and now I'm going back to it. I'm so close to my end goal. I'm so near I can see the finish line and the new me just beyond reaching our her lean muscular arms, to embrace the old hagard me and subsume her into this bright light of success with her air of gentle but unquestionable self confidence. She stands there, a shining beacon of what I can create myself to be. She's also carrying a double platinum disc with the Triaxis logo on and happens to have a certificate for trainer of the year in the other hand. (Well If i'm shrinking my size my other dreams are going to be big ;) ) I have this clear and distinct image of what I will look like at my end goal. That is now so ingraned into my thinking that nothing will stop me, except this damned demon that craves sugar.<br />
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So me and the demon have had a chat, we're having regular morning meetings where, for 30 minutes, the demon gets pounded in to the ground under the feet of that chisled, strong, lean Krissie that's waiting at the finish line with her double platinum disc and Fitness Trainer of the Year certificate.<br />
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I'm not saying I'm giving up chocolate, oh no on the contrary, but this is now chocolate consumption on my terms, on sensible terms. This is now the 'this square is suffcient and I do not need to go and retrieve the whole bar' mindset. This is now, I do not need chocolate with every cup of coffee, the 'I had fruit and a merginue shell with yogurt as a desert, I no longer need that Raspberry Ruffle at 10pm'. This is that fabled control that we all strive to gain and maintain. This control comes and goes as the journey progresses. If you've read my other posts there are months where I have it in abundance and then it disappears completely. But now I am resolved, now I feel ready to really tackle this little piece of the puzzle once and for all.<br />
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So, sugar craving demon, time for your next therapy session......<br />
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Krissie<br />
x <br />
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845168550802141031.post-67830637655820543132012-02-14T23:49:00.000+00:002012-02-16T10:46:47.668+00:00Happy Anniversary Mrs not so much Fatty McFat anymore...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yes I know, isn't it mad how time flies?<br />
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One year ago today I launched my little corner of the inter web, in the hope that some of what I have learned in this tough, long, draining, elating, joyous, trying, testing, educational, but ultimately life changing (and for the better) journey, may be of help to someone who stumbled upon it in their research for their own. Little did I know that deciding to write the blog would change my life in the way it has.<br />
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I have always excepted the journey of weight loss itself to be one that would have the inevitable ups and downs, that things would change not only in the shape and size of the person on the journey but also inside the mind of the person walking this path. I knew when I started back in 2006 that this was a complete change in my life and that no matter how long it would take, it was going to happen and I was going to have to accept change.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHild9kBlWBvz0Aq3XBfTovLTsNYoddcG8qfkA5yaMvFnxVADLCsfWy-a28XVvFa2flcvQF4WgX6eST5iqDggUSOQ3bu5oOoC58HE0g_FzcG-wYlsPnhBdBY6IXc7Ch7CldmHXxS7wMs/s1600/images-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHild9kBlWBvz0Aq3XBfTovLTsNYoddcG8qfkA5yaMvFnxVADLCsfWy-a28XVvFa2flcvQF4WgX6eST5iqDggUSOQ3bu5oOoC58HE0g_FzcG-wYlsPnhBdBY6IXc7Ch7CldmHXxS7wMs/s200/images-1.jpeg" width="200" /></a>What I wasn't expecting were the emails from people asking for my advice, the people in the gym classes asking me to breakdown the routines because I seemed to get them quickly, the people in the fitness room asking me to spot and support them as a gym buddy. I certainly wasn't expecting people to start telling me their fears and aspirations and how my few words in this dusty corner were helping them in some way.<br />
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I know the cynics out there will roll their eyes and say 'oh but bloggers write to gain that attention from the off', but not always. The web is a wonderful place but like every village it has it's idiots. It does afford us smaller folk the ability to say something that we think is worthwhile and maybe something that someone else may think is worthwhile too. The blog started as a way to keep myself accountable. It started as a way for me to really have to face up to the reminder of the journey that I had committed myself to and yet was stumbling upon. It was a tool for me to ensure that I kept on track and that the world and it's Mum could ensure if I floundered there would be someone saying 'Come on kiddo up you get'. After all falling down is the easy part.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07wOEb5pYjPSSnpwOV2wZydI5IcPkE4nkljxfcMk8UysPfRHGvO3htrLg7ztF5z_JhTGWB37F14UUpBI8bnzGQwbCAd0YES_c1x-l_zgYq0phj1dTMXA8jv-H7Mii9PI1RNBs_MhhR3U/s1600/I+heart+fitness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj07wOEb5pYjPSSnpwOV2wZydI5IcPkE4nkljxfcMk8UysPfRHGvO3htrLg7ztF5z_JhTGWB37F14UUpBI8bnzGQwbCAd0YES_c1x-l_zgYq0phj1dTMXA8jv-H7Mii9PI1RNBs_MhhR3U/s200/I+heart+fitness.jpg" width="160" /></a>Since I started the blog much has changed. I went through a period of mental change, hitting my lowest point in August and realising that I was the only person with the power to really make a difference not only in my body shape and size but in my happiness and mindset. Once I realised that for change to happen and that I had to create who I wanted to be (after all if we're hiding we're not moving forward and to move forward you have to create), and not a false image that I was hiding behind, things were still scary but a whole lot less stressful. Now the journey was tinged with a certain excitement. After a that low point in August I decided that I would actually make a career out of the whole weight loss and lifestyle change and start to get proper qualifications in fitness and nutrition to back up my own research and advice. At the start of this month I launched the website, and although it's still under construction for the final part of the venture (the personal training and weight loss coaching arm), the scary excitement is now more of a 'wow I can actually do this' kind of feeling.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXiIRaEnR1OdcKtHKKZe42x0eSE4q4453pKryqowoMokdRUFwV9xsxkq9K5uiNOv_-XqJu31od24Fo0EakhLGNA55U0tlOquIPNDvBj9zL08ZJNsgWjucZ25rNkOypjWNbMOG3mDjH6I/s1600/change+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXiIRaEnR1OdcKtHKKZe42x0eSE4q4453pKryqowoMokdRUFwV9xsxkq9K5uiNOv_-XqJu31od24Fo0EakhLGNA55U0tlOquIPNDvBj9zL08ZJNsgWjucZ25rNkOypjWNbMOG3mDjH6I/s1600/change+2.jpg" /></a><br />
Add to that that I lost over another stone in weight and I finally broke the 80 lbs lost barrier, this last year has definitely been one of serious change. So here we go for the final hurdle of the last stone (and a bit) to get me to the weight that I want to be at. Here's to more fitness qualifications and more strings to my bow. Here's to the music side of my life that is going from strength to strength. And most of all here's to you dear reader, for sharing in a part of my journey. After all without you reading these ramblings and sending me your questions and messages, I don't think I would have ever had that brainwave back in August 2011 that has lead me down this new path. So thank you very much for all your comments, tweets, Facebook messages and emails. They have been very welcomed and very inspiring. I mean that with all sincerity.<br />
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So a year gone, here's to another one, here's to some mad cap adventures along the way but mainly here's to health and happiness.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not bad for 36 eh?</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tZkcy2kTUqUiJSHLRzWsqO1HJcmxyQDhZDElbK0JS6eF53iQR490ZIVIggg1pTuEEXw8hOdu_mQZDT0HNVKeZ7bwKOS5X7KKKTSD7Co0tp9gWCv5pmwNnoUl0M6zFYkTMEqv-qP3hjE/s1600/be-kind.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tZkcy2kTUqUiJSHLRzWsqO1HJcmxyQDhZDElbK0JS6eF53iQR490ZIVIggg1pTuEEXw8hOdu_mQZDT0HNVKeZ7bwKOS5X7KKKTSD7Co0tp9gWCv5pmwNnoUl0M6zFYkTMEqv-qP3hjE/s200/be-kind.jpg" width="129" /></a><br />
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Be kind to yourself, always.<br />
Much love<br />
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Krissie<br />
x<br />
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<br />Krissie Triaxishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525590427186331895noreply@blogger.com0