My inspiration

Inspiration is and will always be my driving force!

My boys and my family are my life and most of this journey has been for them in one way or another.   For my boys I want them to know anything is achievable and never say never.  For my Dad.  The pain and tears you went through fighting the disease, you worked all the way through chemo and never complained.

How do I get and focus on this inspiration?  Photos!  I love photos.  The good, the bad and the awful.  The latter always has be in it.  I've chosen a few photos that I class as my inspiration.

These photos are what focuses me when I just simply can't be bothered or when the dreaded DOMS sets in to give me a day from hell.  Sore thighs and glutes does not make for an easy day with two boys!

Still smiling and I know he was feeling rough!

My boys, the world is your oyster.  Grab every opportunity with both hands.  You can do anything :) x

Ronnie and Reggie my reason for getting up in the morning x

My parents and Kai just weeks after my fathers last chemo session :)

 

Now here are the photos that kicked off not only this challenge but my new life!

These are my "I will never be like this again" photo's.  I've came such a long way for this I now have a "fear" of slipping back in to those ways.

So now you know what pushes me to do what I do.  What's your inspiration?  xx

Is laughter the best tonic? Oh with my girlies it most definately is!

After a week of no running tonight was the night to get the legs back on track!

Not needing much persuading me and the girlie's took to the woods for a gentle foray in the wilderness.  Ha!  It was to all intents and purposes a lush night except for one thing.  Scotland's most feared and terrible creature..............The midge

The blood sucking, bitey, flappy, creatures.  They were everywhere!  For those that have never had the pleasure of their company they swarm all around kind of like a mini mosquito's bust faster and deadlier :)

The run started well.  Pace was good and we were all having a chuckle but they were everywhere! But then the magic happened.  Not only does one of the girls "not do" mud but she most definitely doesn't do midges.  The sheer panic after swallowing some was hilarity to the rest of us but, gagging and almost vomiting about had us on our knees.

You see these moments are the ones that keep me going.  Being able to laugh at each other has made me realise what an amazing group of girls these are and what good friends they have become.  There's no judgement, no bitching or backstabbing just pure and simple support and friendship.  We have all come a long way since August when I first met them all and can honestly say without their motivation and support I'd never have stuck in the way that I have.  It's testament to what friendships can accomplish.  To all you ladies..................Thank you xx

Workouts, obsessions and lady crushes :)

A question asked this week was what my favourite workout was and it kind of got me thinking!

I love my body combat and the new Insanity workouts but, really there isn't much I don't enjoy for one reason or another.

 Boxing is something I've grown to love.  Being able to focus on something and punch the anger out has been one of the best ways to relax I've ever found.  Not that I have anger issues I might add but normally something has annoyed me enough to build the rage in me.  Coming away from a boxing class is an amazing feeling.  Bailey seems to have a distinct aptitude for the sport which is something I look forward to seeing in him.  He just seems a whole different kid when he gets the gloves on and bashes the pads.  Maybe a future mean machine in the making.  Look out Kai!

Watching the Biggest Looser on TV has been a bit of an inspiration to me.  The willpower and desire that the contestants have is something to admire.  Oh but to be able to go to somewhere like that for a month, learn all about the nutrition first hand in a secure environment and to work out non stop learning new skills would be amazing.  But the Biggest Looser has also lead to my first lady crush!  I blame a good friend Kim for this because she actually gave my obsession the lady crush title!  The two instructors on this Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper have now become an obsession.  Not only am I finding myself looking on You Tube but I have now obtained their workouts and am actually doing these at home.  Maybe it's not such a bad thing then :)

So what do you guys love?  What springs that passion inside you?  Is it the music you work out to?  Or just the form of exercise you do?

I love to try new things so guys, get inspiring me.  Help me keep things fresh and realise my goals.  Feel free to comment your thoughts folks would be good to get a debate on likes and dislikes going xx

Bad week :(

Well this has been one horrid, awful week!

I've had two poorly boys, never seen them like this before and it has officially sucked the life force out of me!

Today they are off on their holidays to their dads so that gives me the opportunity to get back on track with the training and diet.  I've set myself some goals for the time they are away:

• 3 runs hopefully increasing to 3 miles
• Proper warm ups before running ( I will get passed the first mile mind block!)
• Meal plan, hope to share this as my diet lately has gone out the window and I feel all the worse for it!
• Cut the caffeine back out!  Cold turkey time again, oh how I hate that first week :(

This will all hopefully get me back into the right frame of mind to get my butt back in gear!

Only 101 days to go until Tough Mudder now, what am I thinking?.............................fear? Nope scarily enough its not the fear of the course that gets me.  It's the fear of letting people down.  I've never been a quitter and I don't believe in failure, especially if it's up to me to succeed.  So onwards and upwards, game face is on.  Bring on the next 101 days, Mudder you're mine.  In the words of my bootcamp buddies.  It's time to................................................

MAN THE HELL UP!!

For those that don't know what Tough Mudder is here's a taste of it!

and so it starts........................................

Well what can I say?  I am or at least I was a self confessed carbohydrate munching couch potato.  Unable to look at myself in the mirror, shop for clothes or actually walk and talk at the same time I knew it was time to change!
The all changing moment happened last April when I was asked to don my ice skates again for the first time in 15 years and play in a charity ice hockey match with my old colleagues the Scottish Ladies Ice Hockey Club.  The game was to be a charity match against the current team.  Like most people who havn't done much in 15 years I was stuck with the feeling of dread not about stepping back on the ice but, how on earth will I get the gear back on.  Back then although never a skinny thing I was for all intents and purposes half my size!!!!!  Asking my parents where my kit was, I think I was preying that they had binned it all so I could say sorry I can't play.  True to form though the hoarders had it all in their loft.  My excuse was now gone.
So thats how it all began, my quest to completely change not only what I looked like but my whole view and perception on life and where my love and passion for exercise and sport was awakened.  The rebirth had occured...........the pheonix had risen from the ashes, well she is slowley still rising so I hope you will follow her birth x

Today....not such a good day :(

Well I've now had a measly two hours of sleep in the last 65 hours not very conducive to my new fitness regime.  Especially seeing as I barely have the energy to get dressed.  Two sick boys has pretty muched zapped me and my will power, (the Malteser cake in the fridge is taunting me as we speak!).

Photos today have been whats kept me going and not staying too far from my healthy eating.  Looking at pictures of me at my heaviest, well have no photos at my heaviest they wern't allowed, I'm disgusted at how I let myself go.

So here goes..........................................

Me at my biggest

February 2012

4 sizes down!

 To say am happy is an understatement.  Long way to go but now am over the half way mark its not as daunting.  Some more up to date pictures soon :) xx

Why am I doing all this??

Some might say I've gone slightly mad, nuts, even obsessed with fitness and health.  Not really!  I've always loved it but putting the weight on made it harder than ever to find the energy to do anything.  Roll on to the light bulb moment.  A charity ice hockey match last year.  Getting back on the ice after 15 years not only brought the normal nerves but also that adrenaline rush, the type that makes you feel free and alive.  Only this time was a struggle.  Out of breathe and tired wasn't how I remember it and certainly wasn't going to be my last memory of being on the ice!

Roll on a year and my next charity challenge.................Tough Mudder!

Now you can call me mad and say I have a screw loose.  But, ask me why am doing it?  I'm doing it for two charities that mean the world to me, Anthony Nolan and Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research

 The reason behind my craziness?

My father was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma 11 years ago.  It was a long journey from being told he was fine to having to pay to see private Doctors (the same docs he was to see at the hospital)to get the final diagnosis.  With blood cancers its not as simple as getting treatment straight away.  My father has to suffer agonising years being "monitored" to see how fast the cancer was progressing.  Knowing you have a killer disease inside you is one thing.  But, dealing day to day with the disease making you sicker, waiting for the doctors to decide you are sick enough for treatment.  That is one strength I'm not sure I would ever have, and in my father for this reason I have utmost respect!  He finally received surgery and chemotherapy.  His final chemo session being the week my oldest child was born.
He still has to be monitored regularly but we are now on 6 monthly appointments with the docs so all things are crossed.

Another person who suffered with this horrible disease was my children's grandmother Lorraine who was cruelly taken by Leukaemia in October 2010 at the age of 50.

I joined Anthony Nolan the week he was diagnosed.  My reasoning?  If he ever needed a bone marrow transplant I'd be on the list.  IF I wasn't a match for him then maybe I could be a match for someone else in the hope that out there one day we can have matches for other people going through this horrific disease.

So really I might be nutty, crazy and have a screw loose but ultimately its those who are fighting the killer disease that are the bravest and strongest people I know.  So those 11 miles and 28 obstacles..............I'll just have to man up, suck it up because after all I will go through one day of pain when they suffer this every day!

So if anyone is up for helping me a little in my quest then any donations are more than welcome just click on the link :) xx

Teresa's Tough Mudder Challenge Please Donate :) xx

A week has passed and theres been some awsome highs.  Monday's bootcamp session was fantastic!  for the first time ever I feel like i've accomplished a major feat for me.  Full press ups for the whole session.  Some might say thats not much but for me it was like climbing my own little mountain.  But this was a twin peaks week.  Running has now started! With the help of my amazing new fitness buddies the runs are paying off.  I've never been a runner, or a walker for that matter but this week following a couple of group forest runs I managed a whole 2.5 miles solo without stopping.  The feeling on completing this I can't describe.

My forest playground, peaceful and tranquil.

So, this week, what will it bring?  Some more runs, thats it no excuses anymore.  But for the minute, playing nurse and looking after my two little men who appear to have caught some crazy virus just in time for the holidays!  :)xx