Tag Archives: fitness

Mar 6 2018

Rising Like a Phoenix from the Ashes

Ahhh geez!

Well, I’m drinking a glass of wine whilst I’m writing this and it isn’t my first for the day.  I haven’t run for a week after tearing a muscle trying to do a cartwheel for a couple of six-year-olds and I’m about to tuck into a feed of garlic prawns because otherwise, I would have to throw them out.

In short, my foolproof plan to become tropics ready has crashed and burned.

I’m putting it down to isolation.  Normally, I would be going to work where I would be annoying everyone with my constant chatter about my progress, successes and challenges.  Although this would irritate some in the staffroom, there would always be others that would listen and make helpful suggestions.  Turns out, I need that!

Solution: I’ve joined the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation.

She speaks my language and in an accent I understand.  My sister recommends her whole-heartedly and we will be doing the program together – her in Perth and me in Lake Clifton (at least until the house sells).  The first two weeks will be the biggest challenge as Madrid and I will be travelling around the state!  But not to worry – plenty of chances for exercise whilst swimming with whale sharks and snorkelling on the Ningaloo Reef.  My pescatarianism should be easy to maintain as well whilst heading up the coast.  And if I have to venture beyond that, kangaroo is a very lean meat.

So I’m starting today with the pre-season exercises and this is my shout out to everyone – I’m doing this!

#Horizon

Not a bad environment for some extra exercise!

 

 

Dec 18 2017

Becoming Tropics Ready

I’m moving to the tropics for the second time in my life.  Unfortunately, my body is not tropics ready!  I took a similar version of this body to the tropics almost ten years ago.  Here is a photo of me after I was picked up from the airport in Accra.

ICT Accra

I’m still smiling at this point because the air conditioner is on. But soon after that photo was taken, I had to get out of the van. I naively thought I was prepared. I was wearing a light cotton shirt, a knee length skirt and I had applied some tactically placed talcum powder.

You may not know what happens to talcum powder on your thighs after walking in the tropics for an hour, but I do! And I’m sure as hell not going through that disaster again!

By the time I left the tropics, I no longer needed talcum powder, bike shorts or bandaids.  My body had morphed with little conscious effort, although the dysentery did help a bit,  into tropics go condition. The photo below was taken about 18 months after I had arrived. By then, I was already good to go.

Kokube 2009

The first year in Ghana was tough but it would have been a lot less tough if I wasn’t so physically uncomfortable all the time. So I’m not going to take my circa 2010 body back to the tropics. This time, I’m going to be tropics ready, before boarding the plane!

The Plan

  1. Give up alcohol
    I had my last drink at Dale and Kristie’s on Friday a week ago and the homemade gluhwein was delicious as was the bottle of Moet I took along!My next drink will be during brunch at the Sheraton in Bangkok – book it Kimbo!
  2. Running, running, running,
    I’ve already started training for a half-marathon in February.  Now I just need to find similar races for March, April, May and June!
  3. The two day fast
    This worked so wonderfully well for me before.  And frankly, whilst I’m not working, it will help with my budgeting!
  4. Tell everyone about it.
    DONE!