Switched on

I did a Body Balance class tonight for the first time in a few weeks.

I haven't been because I have either had another commitment on the same night as the Body Balance class, or I've been unwell. Tonight's class made me realise just how 'connected' I've been. And this connectedness, or being switched on, if you like, has led me to feel stressed and tired and I guess run down.

Tonight's class relaxed me so much. I feel calm, stretched, strong and focused.

During the class, I tuned out. I only focused on the difficulty of doing the moves and the pride I felt in accomplishing them. It felt great.

I was thinking about just how connected I have been, and how draining it has been for me this week - managing my work schedule, and others' schedules, committed to volunteer work, commencing uni for this semester, cleaning my flat, worrying about whether my shower is leaking into my downstairs neighbour's ceiling (apparently it's not), cooking meals for myself, communicating with friends and strangers in real life and online.... and this week, with my skin trying to heal and working quadruple time renewing, and my hand is still really sore from the IV, it's been hard.

I am worn out.

After the Body Balance class I treated myself to a late meal of salmon, fruit and juice. (I went to Coles Showground Village (the best supermarket in MY world!) to get my treats and the traffic was so busy because of a big music festival. I'd hoped to hear one of my fave bands, Placebo, play as I drove there, but nothing. As I type this, there are fireworks or gunshots going off. People are screaming and dogs are barking. I hope it's fireworks at the music festival. It's fireworks. Phew.)

It's not that I've eaten junk this week. It's that the antibiotics have made me feel so unwell that I've chosen not to eat much - so I've had cereal with fruit and juice for breakfast, a wholemeal toasted cheese sandwich with a salad of lettuce, tomato, purple cabbage and grapes for lunch, and a cup of stock for dinner. So I've been depriving my body a little, and last night I craved fat so I had french toast, and today I had fried noodles, pork and veges from the Asian cafe for lunch.

I realised I needed to nourish my tummy as well as my skin.

While I ate I sat on the couch and spent time listening to a CD - I wondered when the last time I actually listened to a CD was - fully concentrating, not skipping through the songs on the iPod because it's so easy to do - Silverchair Live From Faraway Stables - and browsed the Melbourne Fashion Festival program picking out (free) events I'd like to attend. I also read the Entertainment Guide in The Age and parts of the Melbourne Magazine.

It felt really good to just do nothing.

Well, just to focus on one thing - me and what's happening in front of me.

I've found lately, there's always something I could be doing. Checking out someone's life on Facebook or a blog. Checking the news. Flicking TV channels. Changing the song on the iPod. Changing my mind about my outfit. Starting a book and not finishing it. Choosing something else.

It's like we're faced with so much choice there's no time to focus on one task or give our minds time to properly think and absorb. They say generation Y is the generation of multitasking. Absolutely. There is a pressure to multitask, to always be switched on. To always be doing something, to be available and aware of what others are doing.

I feel the need to slow down. Of course, I need to keep my commitments - work, uni, volunteer work, health - but maybe just take some time to relax, sit back and do not very much.

Just because we sit there, looking as if we are doing nothing exertive, it doesn't mean our minds aren't running marathons.

Tonight's Body Balance class really clarified the need for me to relax.

This weekend I have bellydance, seeing a movie, going to High Tea and may view the Ron Mueck exhibition.

I bought a book that I want to read immediately. It is called Net, Blogs and Rock'n'Roll. The nerd in me has always been interested in the economics of technology (since I studied lock in and switching costs in 2001 at uni) and I am also interested in new media. This book is about the fan economy. I think this book will be just up my alley.

There will be two sleep ins. Some cleaning before the cleaner comes on Monday. Cooking. That's all.

I'm excited for the escapism of it all.

I've been eating like a carnivorous rabbit, so...

It is 40 million degrees.


I've just worked very hard at Body Balance. I touched my toes tonight doing the hamstring stretch and did most of the moves in full, not the special needs moves like I have been doing. I'm balancing with more confidence, and for longer. It was great, despite the heat and some perving old man staring at our class through the window.

I feel every muscle in my body, and I am starting to see a defined waist. Hurrah!

This is me counteracting all that hard work with an icecream and berry combo. Vanilla icecream, mango gelati and frozen strawberries. It's ok though, I'm allowed as I've been eating like carnivorous rabbit - salads, fruit, vegetables and with a serve of meat or fish.

This post features a picture of my thigh. Hotttt.

I went to another Body Balance class tonight. It was my fifth class. I didn't do any classes last week due to camp, and intended to on Sunday but was just too tired from the hen's night. I thought it'd be hard getting into it tonight, but I surprised myself and found I could do the moves just as well (or as poorly!) as the last time.

I pushed myself harder in tonight's class. I tried to last longer at the poses, tried to hold steadier. And I succeeded in lasting longer and holding steadier, and in doing so, I felt the moves were more effective on my muscles and posture.

When I stood on one leg, facing forward with both arms out, I was smiling as hard as I was working my bum muscles. For me, doing some of these poses and feeling happy to have achieved them must be a little bit like when a baby learns to walk - there is a huge sense of pride and achievement. They're only little steps that I'm taking, but it's making me feel so good. I felt more confident with my balance tonight. And there was someone who fell on her forehead, and that someone wasn't me! I'm definitely making progress.

The instructors are so friendly and encouraging, and so are the other participants that I've met so far. There's no pretentiousness or competitiveness, and the positive environment makes me want to return to classes.

There is one thing that causes me pain though, and it's not the actual pilates moves. It's the relaxation time afterward. My body is nice and warm doing pilates. Then when I stop, I get so cold and my skin gets a bit 'panicked' - it's a bit inflamed on my arms and legs, my movement is restricted, and I'm shivering. The thing with this skin condition is that it means I don't regulate my temperature well. So when it's a pleasant summertime temperature, I often feel quite cold inside, but hot to the touch. And on a 40 degree day, I can't cool down and my heart beats really fast and I feel pretty yucky. Tonight I put my hoodie and socks on during relaxation time, but it didn't help. I'm still cold and sore. I'm not as bendy as when I was doing the pilates moves. I'm going to crawl into bed and put my electric blanket on. I know this feeling will pass, but it's frustrating to think that the actual hard work of the pilates moves didn't hurt me as much as this cold feeling does.

If there's anyone who can give me tips about keeping warm after exercise that'd be great.

:)

This is a sexy picture of my thigh.

My amazing pilates achievement

PS - I like to think I looked a little like this while doing my amazing pilates achievement.



But I was more wobbly and have much curlier hair.

Friday night thanks

I went to my fourth body balance class tonight. So proud - I stood on one leg, held the other leg back with my hand on my foot, and pushed this leg out behind me while pointing the opposite arm into the air straight ahead. I was grinning so much I had lipstick on my ears. Not really. But you get the picture.

Right now however, I am treating myself to a smaller piece of cheese than usual with some blueberries. I read a tweet this week: 'why are blueberries more expensive than plane tickets?'. Mine were $2.99 at Coles Showgrounds Village. I swear I am so in love with Coles Showgrounds Village that I am going to marry it. The cheese may be counteracting my gym classes. But I've actually tried to stick to three meals a day this week, and if you don't count the maccasquarterpounderfriesandthickshake (written as one word so you may just glance over it and not make me feel guitly) on Monday before Avatar, I'd say I've eaten pretty well with smaller portions and less fat. Even the seventeen courses of tapas at Movida before The Temper Trap was pretty healthy!

I'm feeling pretty good in myself!

Next week it's ChIPS camp and I am super excited! Can't wait to see these young people develop in the three days of fun and challenges. It makes me very proud to be involved in their lives. Plus I develop and challenge myself, too.

A few blogs you should see -

Faux Fuschia - FF is the Queen of Glamour.

The Rock Lair - this is my friend Lucy's music themed blog. She writes so well.

Flair to Remember - the gorgeous Nikki documents her style.

I've put a counter on my blog this Wednesday and so far I've had around 150 page hits. That's amazing! Everyone who comments here or on Twitter or Facebook has been so positive about my writing. I love to write and am proud of this skill, so your feedback means so much to me. Thank you.

I'm going to put my feet up now with Shop Til You Drop magazine, my cheese and berries. Goodnight all :)

Body balance classes

I haven't actually written about how my body balance classes at the gym are going. I don't want it to seem like there was a huge build up and I was all talk and now they've fizzled out. Because they haven't!

I've been to three classes so far. And I feel fabulous for going.

Body balance is a mix of yoga, tai chi and pilates. It comprises gentle movements that stretch, improve posture, and build and strengthen muscle - all using the strength of the body.

There are no noticeable body improvements yet. Though I think my arms look more toned? Maybe it was just a thin day!

But after each class I've felt myself walking taller and more flexible. Even more relaxed.

I'm not going to lie. The classes are hard. I'm uncoordinated and quite unflexible. Most of the moves hurt. And I'm slippery. So these are all challenges.

But I can feel the burn. And when I complete a pose or a stretch and it hurts there's still a smile on my face. Because I've accomplished something really difficult. And it feels great!

Tonight I did this move that began sitting cross legged on the floor and I lifted myself up off the floor with my arms. That was a proud moment. And also when I stood up with one leg off the floor and one arm out. I was grinning.

I aim to do two classes a week and a bellydance class too. Depending on my level of health on the day. I think it will do me wonders.

The instructors have been great - they've come to see if I'm ok and encourage me when I've achieved a pose.

So glad I've started going to the gym!

Am I too ambitious with my physical activity?

Back to work today. It was hard getting up. Hard staying seated. Good to see people there though. I missed them. But hard being back after 12 days off. I'm going to do it all tomorrow.

One thing that did make my day interesting. Awkward but interesting. I wore my beautiful new shimmer purple and orange dip dyed maxi skirt by Tree of Life for the first time. I was in the lift and caught my reflection in the shiny panels. My skirt was tucked into my undies! Oh dear! I don't think many saw. I had a big laugh about it with the people at work. And I'm probably making you laugh, or cringe at the lack of care I paid to adjusting my clothes post toilet activity. Whatever. It was pretty funny. And I'll be more careful next time I wear it!

Tomorrow is the day I start by body balance class. I have my clothes laid out and bag packed, ready to go. I have light grey marle harem pants (I know my friends' stance on harem pants, and I disagree!), a watermelon coloured oversized tee over a charcoal longsleeved top. I am suprisingly excited. I want to challenge myself. And stick with it. This year will be the year of all encompassing development for me. Career development. Education development (I WILL graduate as a Master in December). And heath/fitness development.

I also found another bellydance school that has Saturday classes that I can enrol in until the second semester of the year.

So I want to try and do three pieces of exercise a week - body balance, pilates and belly dance, depending on uni and ChIPS commitments. And of course my health.

Am I too ambitious with my physical activity? Given that I currently do nothing but walk between shops? Maybe. But each class is only an hour.

In 2008 I signed up to one jazz dance class. Woah. I was so unmotivated. It was on a wooden floor. We had to get on the floor and do moves. I can't dance well upright, can't dance at all on the floor. What was worse, the movement on the floor caused my vaseline to create this massive perimeter of oil slick under me. I was like a seal pup caught in an oil slick, trying to get off the floor. A seal pup in a flippy skirt. I was telling my manager and colleague this story today, and we were howling with laughter. That exercise endeavour failed.

Here is a blog I wrote on 18 February 2008 about the jazz dance experience. Tomorrow's experience has to be more successful than this one!

It’s Britney, Bitch. (Carly’s dancing adventure)

So in light of my lifestyle changes - less spending, better eating, a budget - I decided to broaded my life activities in other ways.
Get fitter. Take up an enjoyable form of exercise.
Like dance. Belly dance - I loved that when I did it a couple of years ago.
But it's booked out.
Casual jazz classes will do. I know I couldn't say I think I can dance tomorrow, but I'd have fun and be ok??


First night was tonight! Couldn't wait. Rushed home from work. Ate a balanced meal. Styled myself up in makeshift gym clothes - cotton skirt over leggings and a tank top. It looked terrible in front of the mirror. I was like a bright red frump. That was only the start of it.

There was stretching over, under, on the floor, push ups, sit ups (which I could do) and funny backwards bends. My skin makes it very hard for me to bend, so I looked like I was doing it half heartedly when I was probably working harder than the other girls.

Me dancing, or even just stretching, is like watching a wet starfish try to pick itself up from the rock. Or even a wobbly drunken panda, really heavy and unsteady on its feet. Make that a wet starfish and a panda trying to move in an oilslick.

That's right, my leggings were very oily because of my cream I use for my skin, So I sort of had this massive circle of oil under me that I've made through moving on the dancefloor. Kind of like a snow angel that you make lying in the snow. Only mine was slippery and made me laugh. And was a OHS hazard for other dancers. Who managed to stay on their feet because they were 1345068 times better than me.

Hell, what was I thinking?? Aside from watching the male instructor's butt pull in and out for an hour, who was I kidding thinking broadening my life activities would include being able to dance to Britney Spears? As if I'm ever going to do that in every day life!