Ebay goodies

In other news, I am suddenly on a massive fitness kick. I know. I am just as surprised as you are.

I'm not doing three hours a day at the gym. Nor am I doing any more than low impact exercise.

But now I can see a bit of my hourglass figure back after only seven sessions of Body Balance and one bellydance class, I want to do more.

Bellydance class was so much fun. I forgot to blog about it. Two friends came along last week and this week another friend will join us. It's great shimmying. Makes you feel so empowered and like your body is actually working out.

I have ordered two things on Ebay to help me on my quest to looking and feeling fabulous.

This jingly jangly hip scarf was about $6.00, including postage. I know! I have a pink one, but wanted a yellow one to alternate.



And this DVD means I can practice both pilates and belly dance in the comfort of my own home on the days I can't get to class, or need some gentle movement to help my skin feel better.



Mr postman, come by my house with my parcels.

To pool, or not to pool?

The world's most livable city, Melbourne, is right now an unlivable city for me.

It's about a hundred and eleventy degrees. Ok so the BOM says it's 34.5 degrees celsius. It doesn't feel like it.

To make up for the Body Balance class I missed on Friday due to soreness, I am going to a pilates class tonight. To keep up, and because the gym is airconditioned.

And then after class, I am considering going to have a sit in the swimming pool at the gym.

I don't know if this will be a good idea.

I have not been in a swimming pool since I was about seven years old, camping at Porepunkah. I don't think that was such a bad experience.

I went to the beach last January. I was quite covered up, and there were medical staff there. The people I was with weren't worried what I looked like.



If I wear my bathers to the pool (and yes I have a sexy mismatched two piece), I will be nervous. I haven't revealed so much of my body to another person for some years and some (but not many!) kilos.

I am worried about how my skin will go in the chlorine, but then again, the doctor suggested I have a bleach bath (yes, I know, BLEACH!!) and they did me no harm.

Google told me my skin may be ok in the chlorine. I am still dubious.

Then again, I could just sit in the bath filled with cold, fresh water at home.

I wish I could be like other people and give it no thought to whether I have a dip in the pool or at the beach. I wish I didn't have to consider the sun, the chlorine, the onlookers.

Decisions, decisions.

To pool, or not to pool? To cool or not to cool?

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.

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!

Two giant leaps for Carly

Today I took two life changing steps. No, I haven't decided to buy a house or change jobs. Quite happy with where I currently live and work, though maybe where I work doesn't afford me to buy a house? Or maybe it's my love for shopping that prevents me. I don't know.

The life changing steps were only small. But big in my world.

I contacted two hairdressers today, one by phone and one by email. I am waiting on a response from both of them. I still have five more to contact. Here's hoping something successful will come from my quest. I have requested an appointment to discuss my special needs with the hairdressers.

It's so difficult to explain the impacts of my skin condition when it's not in person - some people assume it's not as big a part of my life as it really is. Like the time I used an example of explaining my condition to customers in a retail store I worked in as a way I have successfully handled a difficult situation. When I didn't get the job and asked for feedback, the selection officer said that this example didn't demonstrate life experience. Ok then. I've actually continued to use that example in job applications because I think it's relevant. I digress.

So by booking an appointment to discuss my needs prior to a haircut, it will mean the hairdresser has more information and understanding about my condition, rather than be confronted with it when I walk into the salon. Gosh I wish it wasn't so complicated sometimes!

The other life changing step I took was visited my local YMCA leisure centre. I had bumped into a friend in the supermarket yesterday and we caught up for a drink afterwards. she recommended a class called 'body balance' - a mix of pilates, yoga and meditation. It's low impact, gentle and will trim my tummy and thighs. The girl at the counter was so helpful. She showed me around the YMCA complex, asked me my needs and ability and advised the classes that would be the best for me. In addition to body balance, I think I'll do a dedicated pilates class. At least until my uni class doesn't clash with the bellydancing class I want to do. The YMCA caters for people with special needs, so I was more confident about approaching them. The other great thing is the classes are only $9 with my current student card, and $13.50 when the student card runs out at the end of my Masters! $9 for a pilates class!

It's very difficult for me to exercise as I don't sweat to cool myself down, have limited movement of some limbs, and my skin gets very dry. So my apprehension is justified, but I have realised that I can't keep eating salmon and camenbert and maintaining my optimum 55 kilos all my life.

The first body balance class is Wednesday. Wish me luck! I was actually disappointed I couldn't start tomorrow but there is a holiday timetable until next week. I was suprised at my disappointment about not exercising!

As I said, these are only small steps I've taken, I know. But really big ones for me. And I know I'm never going to look like Jennifer Hawkins, but there's hope, because she's a real woman, right?! (More on that in a future blog post.) But hopefully these two small steps place me on the path to making feel and look really super fabulous!