A New Week, A New Monday

Mondays...

The hardest and easiest day of the week. Hard because you need to force yourself out of your weekend routine, and climb the hill all over again. Easy because you're one week stronger, faster, fitter and better prepared. 

Beep! Beep! Beep! 

Well, the starting gun goes off and you spring to action; for zero to hero in just a few seconds. Moments later you're raring to go, warm lemon water down in one, and breakie smoothie gulped down like you haven't eaten since last year. You're ready!

Action Stations.

Great gym session this morning. I joined Mr Q and P for a session dedicated to everyones' favourite muscle group - Chest! A seriously marked improvement on my week one session, and I was enjoying the hour of intense workout.

Post-workout, I smashed my usual supplements, went to class. I have to be honest though, I was feeling the effects of being so active. Still, I'm clearly learning to listen to my body the hard way…

So after a long day of planning my evening run and swim, I ended up tied up until I only had time for a quick game of squash….which was all good until my hammies started aching. Based on the issues of last week, and ignoring my body, I reluctantly retreated from tonights planned cardio all together, in favour of a warm stretch and probably an early night.

Inspiration

Day 7 - Rest Day?

On a Personal Note

Well Hello, and Happy Sunday! Oh and Happy Mother's Day to my Mumma in England, I miss you very much. It was lovely chatting to you earlier!

For Mr Q

Moving On…

Interesting day Sunday. A day to rest, a day to organise for the week ahead or is it business as usual?

Today, my intentions were simple - relax, chill out, go grocery shopping, take some time to look ahead, to plan…. After waking at my new and improved early weekend time 0f 0730h, I found I had some spare time to 'kill', so I did some study, organised and got a yummy breakfast from the wardroom. I then organised with Mr Norm and Mr P to head into Frankston to go shopping, and Mr Q joined us too. 

Mr Q likes to take his time, and chase people (me) with Mars Bars and mock my glutardiness, but generally he's a pretty decent fella, even if he is still offering / taunting me with mars bars as I write this….

I removed Mr Q's name...

We all jumped on the train, got to Frankston and went for a chillax coffee. I finished a sudoku puzzle and soaked up some of the warm sunshine. I then departed the group and went to do my own thing. I had already put together my shopping list this morning, so went to get my groceries - a man with a plan!

After, I jumped on the next train back and joined Mr Norm and Mr P. On my return I got stuck straight into preparations for next week. First my uniform, then my boots, then I juiced some oranges (somehow the pips got thru the mesh and now I need to strain) but I'm looking forward to something new and healthy each day!

Hummus, made by Bullet

Yes, you read it. I made my very own hummus. I'm pretty certain Winnie will have blogged on ETD regarding the fine details of this hummus - needless to say it took less than 5 minutes to prep and make. Best of all, I needed two things - a knife (check) and a blender (check). I guess-timated the measurement - since I'm something of a kitchen demon at home, so man-made (literally) and totally tasty spicy hummus! A short while later I had sliced and diced half a bag of carrots in perfect batons and distributed into little zip locks!

Hummus by Bullet

Left Peanut & Cocunut Spread, Right My Hummus

How to kill boredom in the RAN…

Well, you could watch a movie, have a sleep, do more study (yea-right) or train. Since I'm working on getting my body fit to be a father, triathlete and 'hubba-hubby'…I opted for cake.

Only JOKING! I went to the gym with Mr P. We did a fairly intense Shoulders session, which I topped off with nice 500m swim (15 minutes of slog), complete with 5 fairly crappy (I'm learning) tumble turns!

Not bad for 'rest day'…

What did you do today? I hope you found some crazy last minute motivation, or had some time to chill and eat cake (jokes). No Seriously.

I like this.

Day 6 - What Goes Down...

What a fantabulous day I've had!

I hope your Saturday has been equally fulfilling, satisfactory. I got up this morning, made a few edits to yesterday's post and added some cool photos from last night's mess dinner and got on with my day. I have been totally motivated all day.

Day 6 - Something a little different

I decided to don my cycling gear and go for a nice long bike ride, I haven't explored much of the Mornington Peninsular since my arrival in January and this is the best way I've found! I jumped on my bike, which by the way is my new super-cool Cannondale Caad 8 and headed off-base….

My Bike

Being the chary sort of Naval officer that I am, I felt a compelling urge to take my self to the namesake town of my old NEOC 49 Division, Flinders. Incidentally, NEOC 49 was that last time Flinders will be used to be a Divisional name. 

 

Flinders is approximately 25km South-West of HMAS Cerberus, fairly easy to get to if you follow the Frankston-Flinders Road. Now, I'd never been to Flinders, and thought I could make an adventure of it,  to ride and explore, whilst doing a nice gentle cardio workout. I left my cabin with bike, dressed for action - my Garmin 910XT and HR monitor, my iPhone strapped to my arm ready to record to Map My Ride - I like a double source of data, for greater accuracy!

I jumped on my bike and set off….

What Goes Down.

Now, when I left this morning I was expecting to see some wonderful sunshine, the open road ahead of me and some breathtaking ocean views in a 360 degree panorama around me. I was not to be disappointed, but initially was concerned about what I might see. As I cycled out of the main gate to the outside world, I realised I was rather chilly due to the fog that surrounded me. It was 9am and still foggy? Oh well, I just ploughed on...

After reaching the Frankston-Flinders Road, in pretty good time, I was cruising downhill using a fairly efficient spin technique and enjoying warming, from the exercise and noticed that the sun was burning up the fog and now the views were starting to open up to me - Oh Yea! I could see a long gradual downhill section of road that seemed to go down as far as the eye could see…. Clearly, I was wrong. The road to Flinders was not all downhill, or even flat in places. My 'gentle ride' in the countryside was looking epic from the saddle I was sitting in.

Initial Countryside Vistas

The hills were initially small and not too taxing, but frequent. I was travelling fairly well - a good speed and not too stiff a gear. I knew to glide and pull my feet, utilising the cleats to their max on the uphill sections.  I also remained seated - I had read that sitting down meant a more efficient ride up hills… They didn't mention that it takes a lot of effort to sustain on long hills!

As the hills started to get harder, I could feel I was getting a solid workout - nice. My heart rate was steady, averaging 135 bpm, but climbing with the hills. After a while I got into the rhythm of the hills.  I was powering down the hills and screaming to the top (although it felt like a crawl up). I noticed early on that I was changing to an overly easy gearing too soon into the hill and subsequently lost some power. I soon stopped that! I knew I was getting closer, and the country vistas were changing to dramatic views of cliffs and ocean views that were truly stunning. With around 15km under my belt, I was gifted a ridiculously steep, long downhill section that allowed me to really get my 'speed on'! I notched up my fasted downhill speed today - 72kph! However, what goes down…. must eventually come up.

Rolling Steep Hills

The hill up was equally steep and long, and I found myself in the easiest gear struggling and really working. My heart rate was pushing 150 bpm (which is pretty good for me) and as I reached the crest of the hill I could see the road far ahead of me…. (cue dramatic horror music) and the view ahead showed me something I didn't really wanna see…. about 5-6 more big hills just like this one! Two things immediately came to my mind - do I (a) turn around now, or (b) down this sucker and finish my ride to Flinders! I chose option B (as you might expect from me) and felt the literal burn in my legs, for the remain 5km or so…. It felt like 25km!

Before Descending to the Pier

As I spun my way into Flinders, I felt an awesome sensation to ride down to the pier and take a look, plus I would look awesome on my ride maps if it showed me riding down the pier, seemingly into the ocean! I didn't realise I'd be faced with 3 very steep declining roads to the pier! I went down anyway and rode my bike out onto the pier.

Stopping to take it all in...

Eventually….Flinders

After a short stop, and a comfort break I was back on my trusty machine, powering up those steep inclines and thinking only of one thing.

"Man, I need a coffee"

So, I stopped and ordered a short-mac, a milkshake and a slice of Gluten Free Orange Cake. I walked outside and joined a group senior citizens and their older looking dogs. As, I sat chatting to the gentleman closest to me, I found myself very intently listening to him, enjoying talking to someone new who could spin a story and was happy to while away a lazy hour. I enjoyed my coffee, the cake and my milkshake - loading up for the inevitable ride home. My legs were starting to get a little stiff, and the gentleman and his friends were just starting to leave - I promptly made to excuse myself from their company, so I could collect my bike, and go around the corner for a good stretch!

And Back!

After relaxing and listening to some local Flinders folk, I finished up and headed home. I found myself psyching myself up for each hill, then really getting into the aggression of powering back to base on a new found energy - even though my legs and my butt were getting sore!

Almost forgot, here's a few stats :- 

1. Round Trip Distance = 58km. 
2. Max Speed = 72kph
3. Average Speed = 21kph
4. Max HR = 168 bpm
5. Average HR = 135 bpm  

I returned to base around 1330h and gave my bike a quick clean, and then showered up and realised I had not only skipped breakie, but missed lunch too - so glad for my emergency supply of fruits and quinoa!

The rest of today has been spent relaxing, watching Dr Who (Season 5, if you're interested) and doing a little pre-reading for next weeks classes - Fluids Management!

What did I learn today….Well, if you want something go get it. If you are faced with a challenge you can either rise up and take it on, or not. I think just get the hell on with it and think a little less - you know you'll love it and you know you'll regret it if you turn back, so crack on!

I also realised, that I particularly enjoy listening to new people (old and young) tell their stories and share their experiences. That was a particular highlight. 

Time for bed, see you later!

Day 5 - TFI Friday!

Today is a little milestone, on what appears to be a long journey for me. Today marks 5 days of solid training and the highs and lows that accompany it.

This week I've pushed harder, sweated more and felt more driven. I've fallen off my wagon and got back onto it again. I've learned a few life lessons along the road, but mostly I've enjoyed it.

Early Morning Activity

Well, my take on Early Morning Activity (EMA) of any kind is that it gets your blood pumping, forces you outta bed and makes you focus before you head to work, or wherever you need to be later. EMA is as much about discipline as it is about forging a pattern, a way of being and getting fit. I also would like to think it stops me being lazy; and when that alarm buzzer goes off it should pull you from your cosy, warm slumber! You then have two choices:

1. Stay put and let your brain start to procrastinate (bad move)
2. Just get the heck out of bed and move yourself before your brain takes over and starts to try and reason with you!

I used to take option 1, now I make a really huge effort to take option 2. I hear the alarm go off, I turn on a light, check my phone, and roll out of bed. I then scupper around making my warm lemon water and get dressed for the gym. I walk out of the door knowing I'm on track.

Discipline

Thats nice I hear you say… He gets up early - whoopdie-doo! Well, this brings me to a point that is important to me - Discipline. It is vital. We wanna get ourselves feeling a little regimented first thing. We really like not having to think first thing in the morning, just do what is necessary before getting stuck into any work or activity.

Living a more disciplined lifestyle has afforded me so many things. Be being more consistent with what time I roll out of bed, I have so much more useful/productive time each day. Being strict with my diet, cutting out gluten for example, I find that I need to be disciplined and this ties in nicely with self-control! 

So, I'm trying to be more disciplined with this new routine of mine. Its helping me to create some new habits and its helping me to steer clear of the bad habits!

Focus

So, I find that these early gym sessions get me going. They help me stay focused for the rest of the day. Which is why, when I woke up this morning, I forced myself to break from my habit of revision, cram, revision (prior to my usual Friday morning exam) and I got up at 0500h and went to the gym. I did a shorter than normal workout - the purpose of my workout was to "keep the routine" and reinforce the new habit. It worked. I trained Back for 40 minutes and promptly returned to my cabin to shower and study. I felt more focused and this meant I could really direct my revision. Subsequently, I think I did pretty well in my exam and will be sure to do some form of EMA next Friday!

Legs!

After doing some housekeeping in my cabin - ironing my uniform and preparation for tonight's Wardroom Mess Dinner, I decided to take Mr P's (p for protein) offer of joining him for "legs day", and went back to the gym for a 90 minute leg workout - my first. I went through all the exercises with him, and worked within my body's limits, I listened to my body and gave it my best! I kind of enjoyed legs, so I'll be sure to maintain a day for legs each week! We did a whole manner of squats, curls, lunges and raises - and I knew I'd be sore tomorrow if I didn't loosen it all up a bit…so I went for a quick 500m swim. 14 minutes later I was stretching again! One thing I have to tell you, is I'm a self-developed freestyle swimmer and I only transitioned from Breast stroke a year or so ago… and today was the FIRST time I'd ever attempted (or even pulled off) my first Tumble Turn! I'll be sure to start adding that into my swims from now on!

Navy Tradition

Now, this post is being published late, so I felt it necessary to say why. Last night I was obligated to attend a Naval Tradition. Officers occasionally get the 'opportunity' to socialise in a formal setting known as a Mess Dinner. We all get dressed up in our 'Mess Undress' uniforms and attend a formal sit down (silver service) dinner with pre drinks, flowing wines and speeches. There's traditional things that go on during a Mess Dinner, and some of them date back to the times of Sir Lord Admiral Nelson, some new modifications to those traditions are also present. We had a formal "parading of the meat" (the stewards carried out the meat flaming on a platter), there was a lovely band playing, fantastic conversation with new colleagues and friends. There was a guest speaker, who had some very interesting stories about his career in the RAN, and some excellent advice from him to all of us! There was plenty of Port and that was awesome! I took a few pics (although I foolishly didn't get a snap of dessert).

I think its important to remember that being part of an organisation such as the Royal Australian Navy, and being a commissioned Officer within its hierarchy, that life and work are disciplined, but we have a lot of fun too (where appropriate). This was a fun occasion and its a major separator between civilian life and service. Thanks to XO for the event, and for sharing the fun of HMAS Cerberus' 100 years since commissioning with us.

HMAS Cerberus Commissioning Mess Dinner

Me in my Uniform

My Place Setting

Looking toward the top table

A View of the Vice-President

Shameless 'Selfie'

GF Tomato Soup

Sneaky Shot of Mr P

Beautiful Lamb Rack

This was and is the principle reason why I am posting this a few hours late! The function went on quite late, and then after sharing this experience with my parents (via FaceTime) in the UK, I was too tired to complete the post…. That does mean you'll get to read my Saturday (Day 6) post very soon too!

Day 4 - Decisions, Options & Channelling My "Rocky"

Confessions & Lessons

G'Day Blogosphere! 

Today, before I get into things I have a confession to make. I need to get it off of my chest and share my lesson… 

No matter the duration, No matter the final destination, there's not a single journey, voyage or trip that has been taken that has been all plain sailing on fair winds and following seas… There's always a bump in the road, a freak wave or something that you encounter. Winnie and I learnt this during our travels together, and I've experienced it many times in my life, some of which is talked about over on ETD. Now, what does this have to do with anything? Well it has everything to do with it! As you are "tested" by life, the universe, your own stupidity (whatever the case may be) you can either complain, be sad etc… OR you could move on, move forwards and learn something.

My confession is this, I crashed last night…big time… I ended up breaking my new routine - I ate jelly beans (lots of them), followed by a bag of popcorn, followed by a small chunk of cheese…. WTH! I slipped a long way from my new standards, and I'm not proud of it, but I learnt more than you'd realise.

I went to bed feeling crappy, bloated and unhappy. Unhappy because I knew I'd crashed, unhappy because I knew that in that moment, I wasn't strong enough to say "no", even to myself.

But what did I learn? Well, I learnt its early days and I'm gonna find this hard, but I also realised it 99% in my head! I need to let go of the "old habits" and create some new ones, and stick to them. My biggest lesson was that even if I felt "less ordinary" or "distinctly average", that, I must stick to my new regimen (and I really can do it). 

I also learnt that this was a test, a test I'll pass next time round! Every bump, blip and curve-ball is a test, and I resolve to pass these tests and learn something, every time.

Set a routine, make it "concrete, one piece unbroken" (as my yoga teachers all say) and stick to it. If it feels awkward or challenging, it must be working. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it! 

Decisions & Options

I woke up this morning and I felt even worse, I must've stewed on it in my sleep! I could've just slept on until 0700h, but I got out of my bed at 0500h, and got straight back into my routine (it felt natural to) and was bounding towards the gym with a new, determined purpose. 

On my walk to the gym (in the rain), I flicked through the many inspirational images my amazing wife has sent to me and I found this:

I Chose Progress.

This was what I needed to recover, to push me to undo the damage I did to my routine with last night's blowout. I decided to punish myself a little with a Shoulder workout that meant pushing harder than normal and really cranking it up a notch. Plus, I knew I had PT this morning too. One way or another I was going to pay off the debt of last night!

I pushed hard in the gym, was the first person in there… You know that feeling you get when you dive into a swimming pool that is dead calm, and you're the only thing making waves…that's how I felt. It was glorious! The gym was my oyster for the first 10-15 minutes and I loved it! I had free reign on all of the equipment! I did some really nice shoulder burnouts and really enjoyed a very peaceful hour of training. Glad to have been to the gym, Glad to be back on track.

I spent 20 minutes stretching, for what looked like it was going to be hell. In fact, somehow I started to feel a pinch of the "OMG! This is too much for me today" sensations, and I even commented, off the cuff almost as a 'serious joke', to Ms Becs that it was only PT maybe I'll just put in 10-15% effort and cruise through the session. Ms Becs responded very quickly to this with "thats not possible, you only do 100% or more" (or words to that effect). Stunned to think that other people may perceive me as being the sort of dude who only has one gear, I felt inspired. In the moments that led up to this mornings Crazy Cardio-Abs Circuit, I got to thinking about why I only give 100%. I was analysing my own actions, and it was spiralling my motivation upwards and making me more energised for the session. 

Channelling My Inner...

As I started the circuit, partnered up with Mr Norm (the biggest computer nerd I know), it hit me right in the chops and pushed me into a training Frenzy! I remembered that scene from Balboa (Mr Mouldie, you know the one I'm talking about), the one where Rocky gives his son a serving for being a lame-ass….

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place, and I don’t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done! Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain’t where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re better than that!" - Rocky Balboa, 2006

Just to get you in the mood… (Ignore the foreign bits)

Needless to say, thanks to Mr Balboa playing on repeat in my head coupled with the euphoria that I was experiencing (from feeling like I was in the middle of one of those super-cool training montage scenes from the Rocky movies), and a due to a few old memories flooding back into my mind from my Kickboxing days (with Mr Mouldie), that I had an AWESOME workout! I was burning through the cardio sets and abs exercises like a demon! I pushed through spin-bike sprints, track-starts, 'Toyota' jumps, grid sprints, running high knees on a high jump mattress, skipping, hurdle hop/jumping, ladder sprints…rotating with abs sets of PFT sit-ups, leg raises, bicycle crunches, butterfly sit-ups, heel taps, plank/ab raises, high knee crunches, and low knee crunches. The circuit ran like this: 3 Minutes per station, each was 1 cardio and 1 abs work out. You rotated between abs and cardio when the abs partner reached 20 reps (except on plank where it was 50 skipping reps and Mr Norm enjoyed dragging that one out for me!). Good FUN!

Every second was like I was proving to myself that I am better than that. That I am better than what I did yesterday. I can push past it. I did.

Success!

I also reminded myself of one really important lesson. I realised that its ok to make a mistake here or there, AS LONG AS YOU LEARN SOMETHING. I feel so motivated today, which is lucky as I have an exam tomorrow! 

Day 3 - Positive Thoughts

Positivity.

My Instagram post this morning, post workout is the first thing I want to talk about.

Bright Lights, Colours and Rays of Hope...

So, I saw a lovely sunrise again and it got me to thinking. I realised, that positive energy comes in so many forms that we can (and should) be positive. No matter what is going on in our lives; lets face it some days we feel like crap, can't be bothered and really wanna hide in the shadows, but we can all find some small ray of light to bring colour to our day.  A simple sunrise, the sound of crashing waves, rustling of trees and all the wonder that nature provides can (to some) be very motivating, whatever it is that resonates with you - use it, channel it and let it over power you when you're not feeling 100%. The 'light' of positive energy can come in so many ways and can inspire us to do all sorts of crazy things.  

Today's CRAZY idea, that I come up whilst marching to class, will surely motivate me, but hopefully you. I will share that in just a short while, but first….

Train through it...

I woke this morning, body aching and sore from a change of pace and routine (plus a little over activity yesterday), and I really didn't want to go to the gym (or anywhere). I listened to the familiar beeping and vibration of my alarms as the chimed at me.  They were taunting me, giving me the shits, and no matter how much I wanted to ignore them something inside of me said "NO! GAFFA, get up and get your sorry arse to the gym". Without further internal discussion I got up, got dressed, smashed a smoothie (after my warm lemon water), downed my AM supplements and slammed the door in disgust as I left…

Walking to the gym it was dark and cooler than normal, and I wasn't feeling any better - but I did realise that the voice inside of my head was my conscience. I am on day 3, and I want to inspire others - best practice what I preach, eh? So, thank you F2F readers - I was given a reality check and injection of motivation by YOU.

My workout started slowly, I was not feeling it at all. I could see the other early gym dudes working hard and with conviction, but I lacked exactly that. I could feel the slump coming on, and I snapped myself out of it quick-smart! I pushed myself, I trained through my thoughts and worked my body harder. Lucky for me I trained chest today. I even managed to get some pretty good improvements on my various bench press efforts (thanks to Soz for his spotting me). 

On the back of a totally turned around gym session, I left the gym with Soz, who offered a lift back in his car. Legs aching from yesterday I eagerly accepted! So, I learnt something really, really important from this whole session (not just about my bench press), but something that I couldn't put words to (but I felt) until later this morning.

In class, LEUT Subbie-McC, (Sir), was teaching us all about the marine engineering aspects related to pollution management, specifically about noise and submarines. He said, and I hope you can see what I got from this:

"The more noise you make, the harder it is to actually hear."

Well, that just hit the high note in my head! I woke up and made a heck of a lot of noise and couldn't get started, then once I accepted my situation and pushed on, and quietened down the noise I was making I started to hear the birds chirping and the wind howling…I felt the rays of positivity and I feel better because of it! Thanks, Sir!

So, after an extended study after lunch I decided to go for a swim. My decision led to another internal 'game': I was going to swim only 500m, or until I got tired or 30 minutes - whichever came first. Yes, my triceps and abs are sore, but for loosing of my legs' sake I pushed on yet again.

After 500m I was "just feeling warmed up" so, I thought to myself "hmm, I can push on for a few more laps" and got stuck in. It wasn't until my Garmin 910XT Multisport watch buzzed and chimed at 1000m that I realised I'd doubled my first goal, and was infact tiring fast… I switched to breast stroke and "OMG my hammies really are tight" came to mind! I pushed on, gently and listening to what my body was telling me - "I'll let you stretch me out, but please don't break me". After a further 200m my watch felt like a disco on my wrist - I had reached 30 minutes and my watch was as happy about that as my hamstrings were!

Elated I stretched in water, and jumped out of the pool. I had a nice warm shower and stretched some more - really holding the stretches to feel the blood flowing back where it should be!

Wow! I managed a chest workout and a swim! Very pleased with myself, and today I used my lesson from yesterday and I feel like I've turned a little corner.

Crazy Idea #1

Based on that, and the crazy positivity I've been feeling all week (albeit for the blip this morning - it was 0500h, to be fair!) - I want to share something fairly personal, with you. I want to show you more of who I am, I want to share the various stages of GAFFA. I'm going to use them as my training fuel, as a reference and hopefully you'll do the same for yourselves (maybe not so publicly). So, I was told ages ago to take a pic of myself before I started training and to put it somewhere, like my fridge and look at every day to motivate me… Well, my fridge is in Sydney and I don't look at anything but my laptop, a mirror or my instructors' presentations (model student, lol!)…

Instead, together we are gonna look backwards so we can look forwards and learn from our past to make our present more impressive. Forget about the future for now…lets go slow, one day at a time….

So, I've taken a few shots from before I moved to Australia, Before I met Winnie, Before I took fitness seriously (including on my travels with Winnie) - see our other blog for more on them, Before I joined the Navy last year (but I was eating gluten free and training a little in preparation) and a recent pic….

Before Australia..

April 2007 - Party Animal, no health interests just scuba, scuba, party!

August 2007 - Much the same, Resort Scuba Instructor Gaffa

In Australia, Before Winnie...

February 2008 - Always Active but never healthy

March 2008 - Not taking life too seriously!

Before Being Fitness "Serious" 

August 2009 - Scuba Professional, healthier but only Yoga & Scuba

Travelling with Winnie...

June 2011 - I Love Food!

August 2011 - I Love Cornish Pasties! 

January 2012 - I Love French Pastries!

June 2012 - I Love Mexican Burritos!

Before I Joined the RAN...

June 2013 - Eating GF and Training a little, Bali Body!

More Recently...

February 2014 - Standing with Flinders! An exercise in military living with health & personal development!!

But, Why?

Well, just in case you weren't certain, I'm doing this to see my own progress in real terms, with clothes on - just how people see me… In a few weeks I'll compare! Between June 2012 and June 2013 I met the Peaceful Warrior at OHE and she found out that I was a Glutard, this led to a shocking amount of weight loss, but I didn't know how to control my diet and wasn't aware of my body enough to notice the weight coming back on….especially after I joined the RAN and they put me on a Gluten containing diet until they could medically prove I was GF! Which led to a startling amount of pain, and weight gain (from bloating, gas storing and not training very hard due to injuries and sore joints)… Now, I'm under control, eat GF 100% of the time, and I'm living clean as possible…. So, watch this space…

How do you motivate yourself to go past the negative moments? How do you push through? I'd love to hear from you...

Day 2 - A Mammoth Day

What a Big Day…

The Alarm just whiffed a hint of early morning vibration and I got up, albeit slightly less tired than day 1, and got myself ready.

A quick warm water and lemon juice drink to start my day, followed by my breakfast smoothie of raspberries, vital greens and sun warrior rice protein with lactose free skimmed milk. I downed my morning supplements and walked myself to the gym.

Why Lemon Water?

I know you're screaming! So, I was told by my wonderful Winnie, that Lemon Water was tasty, and good for me…I asked her "but why is it good for me?" like any typical bloke would… Like I was expecting her to tell me that Single Malt Whiskey is good for me….

Well, anyways, she provided me with not one, but 16 reasons why:

1. Lemon is an excellent and rich source of vitamin C, an essential nutrient that protects the body against immune system deficiencies
2. Lemons contain pectin fiber which is very beneficial for colon health and also serves as a powerful antibacterial 
3. It balances maintain the pH levels in the body 
4. Having warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins
5. It aids digestion and encourages the production of bile 
6. It is also a great source citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium 
7. It helps prevent the growth and multiplication of pathogenic bacteria that cause infections and diseases 
8. It helps reducing pain and inflammation in joints and knees as it dissolves uric acid 
9. It helps cure the common cold 
10. The potassium content in lemon helps nourish brain and nerve cells 
11. It strengthens the liver by providing energy to the liver enzymes when they are too dilute 
12. It helps balance the calcium and oxygen levels in the liver In case of a heart burn, taking a glass of concentrated lemon juice can give relief
13. It is of immense benefit to the skin and it prevents the formation of wrinkles and acne 
14. It helps maintain the health of the eyes and helps fight against eye problems 
15. Aids in the production of digestive juices 
16. Lemon juice helps replenish body salts especially after a strenuous workout session

Man, I love my wife!  She's so damned smart, and pretty and she knows how to push my comfort zone and intrigue my curiosity at the same time…. Needless to say, I just spent a week drinking it every day, and now I'm hooked - in fact, I just bought a kilo of fresh lemons to see me through a few more days (perhaps a week or so).

My Tuesday

Today was a new day, a new challenge - Back! I spent the next hour, from 0600h to 0700h, performing a series of new back strengthening weights exercises and found myself really enjoying my workout! Yay for me!

After my session in the gym I had 30 minutes to relax before RAN compulsory PT.  Today's session was about 45 minutes worth of Touch Footy.  My first time, I decided to play with the "not so serious players" and bagged myself 4 tries and some fresh mud all over myself. FUN times!

The rest of the day in class studying "Pollution Management" with one of the best instructors at Cerberus, whilst hydrating and preparing for my Tuesday night ritual.  Tuesdays I go to Bikram Yoga at Bikram Yoga Peninsula with Becs and Soz.  However, late in the day I kinda ended up being drafted in to play 5 a side indoor soccer, right before yoga…. Bad Move.

My already stiffening body, in need of some serious yogi treatment, ended up playing around 45 minutes of football (I hate using the term "soccer"…it gives me shivers)…. my glutes and hamstrings were really tight after this.

Bikram was hotter than the normal temperatures you'd get in Sydney, for some crazy reason this week we were in the mid-late 40 degrees and very humid…. My previously topped up electrolytes and hydration plan, had been burned through playing football, and realising this I slammed a quick coconut water before going in… Bad Move No.2… Lessons learnt, too much cardio, not enough hydration and last minute attempts made my class slip down the slope somewhat…a very challenging practice, a mammoth task just to stay in the room!

Lessons.

Well, today has been interesting really.  I've learnt that listening to your body, or in my case ignoring all the signals (like a low-budget horror movie) I ended up feeling completely drained.  So, my message is simple:

Listen to your body and respond accordingly.

If I'm training hard, eating better and supplementing my diet and training, I'm gonna see results…So, now I need to learn to balance my training and not overdo it and burn myself out.

Plus, I've noticed that my new morning routine is keeping me more awake in class, like it sets my day.  I feel more focussed, more attentive, and I buzz with infectious enthusiasm!

Will this wear off, I hope not… Will I fall asleep in class, I really hope not!!

What experiences have you had from training too hard, or too much? How does training first thing work for you?  I'd be delighted and stoked to hear… plus it's nice to know someone is reading!!

Day 1 - Making A Start

Just A Reminder...

As you will have seen from the WinGaz blog Eat. Travel. Dive. that I, Gaffa Bateman have made a few big changes in recent times.  I joined the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) last July, the day before my 33rd birthday.  I spent four months working my butt off at New Entry Officer Course 49, graduating in November.  I became an Australian citizen on 11/11/11 at 11am, I got married to the love of my life Winnie on 11/12/13 and now its back to business…. Well, I'm just finding my feet after a big move and more separation from my awesomely supportive wifey.  Yes! I'm currently at HMAS Cerberus, working hard to pass the Engineer Officer Application Course, so I can be released into the Australian Fleet as an Assistant Marine Engineer Officer. Just a few big things.  Now we're up to speed!

I'm going to try and get myself both mentally and physically fitter and in prime condition. 

Why? 

Well, its simple really, I have an amazing wife and now I want to make an amazing family… I wanna be a healthy role model for my children, be fit enough to play with them and be smart enough to keep up with them as they grow! Not sure which will be the hardest challenge!

I need to travel from Fat to Fit.  I need to change my mindset and really dust out the cobwebs and get my engine running like a performance machine!

I mean, I'm not obese or anything, but I am challenged in the belly department. Goodness knows I've been trying to cardio my heart out, but its come to my attention that I need to do more! 

Prior to today, I would run, swim, cycle (I'm in the triathlon club) and as you know, regularly participate in Bikram Yoga (see my post on it, if you're interested).  I don't eat badly, even though I've been diagnosed as being Gluten Intolerant, hyper sensitive to wheat and oats.  I'm what Mr Shrimp and I call a "Glutard". My diet is improving though, thanks to the amazing Peaceful Warrior at Optimum Health Essentials in Mona Vale.

Now, I need to push myself to get over the plateau.

Making a Start

Today is Day 1, the start of a new chapter, a blank canvas - the exciting moments at the start of an unknown journey.  It is for this reason alone that I have decided to write about my journey - From Fat to Fit.  I wanna give positive energy back to the universe, I wanna keep myself motivated by inspiring and motivating others.  Its this energy that really drives me, so I hope I don't bore you too much! I will reflect, and share on how I'm going, the highs and the lows.

Today is also the start of a new exciting countdown.  14 Weeks until my Honeymoon, but I'll let Winnie tell you all about that over on Eat. Travel. Dive.! 

For the Record, Sir

So, just to make this exercise tangible, I currently weigh 97kg. My belly (which is my problem area)  currently measures 110.5cm.  I'm 33 years old and 176cm tall… so I guess my BMI is 31.31.  My BMI is acceptable for the RAN, but not for me… So, its out there, the naked truth. I don't know what I will achieve in 14 weeks, lets find out together!

Early Morning Weights Training

Beep Beep Beep! 0500hrs and I'm up and outta bed, raring to go! I take my supplements and a light breakfast smoothie (packed with all the essentials) and dress for the gym.  Its raining and cold…lucky I had my gore tex shell and track pants (cheers, Lululemon!). I dodged the rain drops and walked from the Wardroom (officers accommodation) to the Gym.  Cerberus' gym is well equipped, awesome actually. Until I get myself into a routine, I'll hold off on detailing all the exercises and sets. reps etc…. besides I might try and do some photos/video as things change.

Today I started to use the weights room, never heard of Gaffa doing weights! WTF! Well, I got in there and pushed through a 60 minute Arms (Biceps and Triceps) and Abs routine, and high-tailed it back to shower and change for class! Plus I got to see a wicked sunrise, see my Instagram or Facebook for that!

Evening Cardio

After finishing class, and a swift change, I was back at the gym.  This time diving head first into some lap swimming.  The pool at Cerberus is amazing, 50m and not overly busy (I often swim alone!). I love it, love being in the water…but you already knew that! I smashed a prompt 1km swim (20 laps) in 22minutes.  My arms were sore, but I powered through.  I have recently been developing my Freestyle stroke (which was pretty crappy until a few weeks ago), and I'm noticing small changes!

After a quick de-chlorination shower I was rehydrating and getting ready for a knock-up with Morts!  So, after a quick ball warm up, we were in full flight playing a squash match.  It was fairly even in terms of ability, but I could feel my legs getting tired, and my arms dying every time I hit a shot!  I love squash, it reminds me of the countless hours I spent playing at Fitness First in the UK with my bro Mr Mould and friends….good times.  I lost tonight in a gruelling 5 game match, I just couldn't get to all of Morts little drop shots!

My Daily Diet

So, I'm trying something new.  I'm eating clean (trying to be as clean as possible) and I'm trying out a series of supplements. I'm not going to document my daily diet, just the occasional yummy meal.

It's pretty hard trying to find good quality supplements that are as natural as possible, gluten free and not illegal in terms of sports/navy testing! I'm trying out:

• Sun Warrior Brown Rice Protein - for meal replacement smoothies
• GNC Optibolic Optidrene - as a thermogenic to give my metabolism a kick, and help me focus 
• Designer Whey - for Post Gym Workouts and Endurance Cardio Sessions
• Ultimate Nutrition BCAA Powder - for post workout Amino Acid boosts

Which are recommended for my training goals, based on my body type and digestive issues!

I currently take the following sups to assist with being Glutard and a bit stiff:

• Bio Ceuticals Ultra Clean EPA/DHA Plus - for joint health and brain function
• Bio Ceuticals Ultra Muscleze - I'm Magnesium deficient and it helps heaps!
• Bio Ceuticals Multigest Enzymes - to assist my digestive system in breaking stuff down
• Bio Ceuticals SB Floractiv -  to support digestive health
• Medi Herb Enhance P2 Detox - to give my digestive system a reboot

I take all of these as prescribed, and I've seen drastic changes in the past year or so since I started taking them.

Thats all for today, time to relax.  See you tomorrow?