get your head in the game.

I'M ALOUD ONE EXCUSE !

well its been a while since my last post, and here comes an excuse.... :-S. to be fair i'm in my last week of uni and i'm about to graduate so, i have been so busy. and yes my workout scheduled went to pot. so ....sorry.

now that's out the way.

the rock and the hard place. 

I've reached a point where I don't notice myself changing, but I must be. You loose a little enthusiasm for things when you loose sight of progress. and that's where I have been stuck, so I'm guessing if I keep going I get my miracle soon... right????

MOTIVATIONAL PIC......gotta chuck on in at least once every blogg. 

(and here is some more cheese) 

it takes one person to see potential to get that drive going again. 

Its the people who I have trained with, and who I have come to know that are the ones keeping me motivated.

 Some people I work with  and some of my family don't understand why I do so much.

 But there is something beautiful about starting a journey with people and watching them succeed, that drives you to succeed too. it is them who help keep that passion and that want to be better alive, so thank-you.

Defiantly has nothing to do with the coffee that we go for after ;)

Sticks and stones may break my bones........but that set up on a bar I find fairly intimidating.

bands and chains seminar, girl power, cheating a lil but be fair that is a lot of weight.

Mi- gym Chelmsford recently did a whips  bands and chains seminar the other week, by the amazing Will Wayland. and again its great to see someone talk about a way of training that they use, with such enthusiasm.  You could clearly see he had a passion for improving peoples fitness. Its experiences like that are infectious, it  ignites something in me to want to strive to be better, and improve. Plus may I say it was very enlightening definitely had some amazing stuff in it that, even as someone still only at the beginning of my journey, could really utilise.

His blog is deffo one that is worth a read. check him out!
http://www.powering-through.com/

That brings me to my final point......brace yourself

 its not all about the crossfit ( QUE MUSIC  Bom bom bom) 

  (as much as i have come to love it). Anything you can do that improves your fitness or more importantly form is great, and I think having a richer variety of methods of training is something I wish more gyms embraced, and more people had access to as they say knowledge is power.....literally a new way of training  may improve your power. That is where Racheal Young hit the nail on the head, with http://www.mi-gym.com/ its about getting good results....oh and having fun.

class group of people. worth travelling an hour to train with!!!

system over ride

its all about coming back swinging. 

right so my last post on getting back on track again wasn't my most successful.....lets say I spent 2 weeks procrastinating. *bashes head agented a wall* OK so this is the point we get up and move on.

MY LITTLE DISCOVERY!! 

i recently in my bad way discovered eating pizza, the night before training has a massive impact on how i train  :O. like it made me feel pooie and feel like a pizza myself.  witch is something that i have never noticed before. and that fact that i am more aware of my body is a great sign.  

 HOW TO SPEND YOUR BANK HOLIDAY 

bank holiday wodding was amazing!!!! what can i say a team wod and we all killed it!! absolutely loved it. Things like that, that really put the fun back into training and kinda bring me back down to earth. Also make me remember why i want to train so much. I think sometimes I get too serious, and I needed that time to re evaluate why I'm doing what I am. this got me thinking so here it is......

1) I love being around Driven people. all the members i have come into contact with have been amazing we smile, we laugh, we endure the sucking together and there is not bitching

 (bar the occasional groan at boss bear making us run). 

We get our heads down and just do it! To have a group of people all pushing together all helping each other, i love that. i would rather spend my money on being around people like that who inspire me to be better, push myself harder. 

2) STRESS, I have been so stressed i though training less would helped but it made me worse. I need this in my life. FACT. 

3) i fell happier. 

i have missed this feeling of being driven and passionate but I think its now properly back. watch this space. 

Nothing like home made.

family and food. 

Right so here is the kick start and i wanna share the magic :-D this comes with love from my beautiful granny 

So my first leap into the world of soups. so today I will be sharing my granny's recipe with you because its very yummy and really good. 

This is a sage butter-nut and honey soup. 

stuffs that you need!

stock what ever you like. (I use bouillon)                                      equipment

1 onion                                                                                       pot 

sage                                                                                            spoon 

butter-nut squash                                                                         blender

honey 

what's you gots to do

Stick your stock in a big pan add your onion and sage ( I used a whole pack). Boil till onion is soft. 

Now I lightly glazed olive oil and stuck the butter-nut squash in the oven for 20 mins. But you can also boil it in your stock just keep an eye on it if you do. 

After cooking it I add it to the pot and again give it like 5 mins to stew in the pot, All together. 

After 5 mins I taste it added pinch of salt and some pepper also some honey. do this to your own preference don't go nuts straight away.

Then liquidise in a blender 

This makes loads so I split it up and have frozen some and put some in my fridge. :) 

really simple plus for dinner I added sweet potato chunks nom nom nom.

lots of soup :) 

 right also another secret is using fresh honey and it just so happens that my grandad is the honey maker. :)

He keeps 2 hives and we have a constant supply of the best honey ever! 

Love Family and Food <3 enjoy xx

bring my feet back down to earth

i been quiet cus i have been failing. :( 

Right so I wasn't so successful on the paleo challenge side of things after being ill. Honestly I need to pre plan.  So that is exactly what I am going to do.  And just because its cheesy and I love cheese here are some motivational pictures. 

cheesy 

cheesier 

cheesyest

   OK OK that's enough of that before i break out   

THE MONTAGE!!!

  .....it does make me feel a little better though to know its not the end of the world.

Things haven’t gone exactly to plan over the last 4 weeks and I feel worse about myself again. I was worried that I have been losing fitness even though I have been doing as best as I can with what I have ( terrible lie honestly I could work harder)

It’s the worst feeling ever like my fitness is all slipping through my fingers. (A bit dramatic but can you blame me? I like the theatrical) 

So last night I popped over to mi fav  gym for a little head straightening, and did I get my head straightened! I feel like I'm getting back on Track! (I also feel like an original Barbie without the bendable limbs… stiff)  

here is me tipping my hat to the lovely people there 

 in the spirit of this sorting my stuff out.  I have decided to set goals! (Instead of just go for it and hope for the best which is usually my plan of attack) Fun goals. So here we go.

Excersize	Current score	Goal
400m  run	1:40	1:30
snatch	30kg	35kg
Clean and jerk	35 kg	45 kg
Dead lift	45 kg	80kg
Push-ups x20	On my knees	Full pull ups
Pull-ups	Green band	Full pull ups.

Got my work cut out… if I complete them obviously I will increase the weight or reps 

as for diet stuff i can start tomorrow. 

ok time to suck it up and deliver! i best get my butt in gear. 

peace out  :P 

Come hell or high water

The Face of Determination

© Andrew sims....this is what a determined llama looks like.

  For those of you I train with this may a familiar face. Not my prettiest face I have ever pulled but I came to train not to stand around looking beautiful! and as you can see form the picture below...that face hasn't really changed for years. Only difference now is that my toys are much bigger, and heavier.

(you know when your parents say the wind will change and you get stuck like that.......its what happened :-p) 

even when I'm gunna loose I will rise to the challenge. try it you may surprise yourself

The NO word 

I don't like being told I can't or that I shouldn't (its kinda like a dare though). Once I have my mind made up on something you better have a  good reason to stop me! Us Gannon lady's are stubborn like that ...be warned. and even when we know we shouldn't well... we like to test the water :-) 

I was blessed with having a strong mother who battled cancer for near on 11 years if she kept going for that long, I can sure as hell lift some weights over my head with a fever! - just how my mind works

I was nearly talked out of  13.2 crossfit open workout today, and I know they only said it cus they care. Dare I say, even I know it probably wasn't the smartest thing to do. 

I was curious. (you know what they say about curiosity and cats...this cats alive....9 lives baby!) and I got through 2 whole rounds so I'm happy for now. ( hope you all realise that this means you all have absolutely no excuses in the future) 

ill or not ill, again we all did amazing! Also the atmosphere in the gym, FANTASTIC! so much support for everyone. It feels nice to fit into this crazy group of people. www.mi-gym.com have a look seriously...nutters. ahh also Super Protein nom nom nom good way to feel full again mystical healing properties lol 

13.2 you have been crushed! 

iv always known its good to surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you. Well that's exactly what I'm doing.

PEACE OUT !!!!

control the craving Jedi styalee

Jedi food mind control tricks.

These are not the muffins you're looking for...

A few people recently have asked how am I shrinking so fast?...that is a very good question...honestly I am working my butt off for it literally. i have sacrificed nights out to train. that's how much I wanted to feel better about myself. now I'm hooked on it, so that's lucky!

i'm gunna try and keep this brief and you may not like what i say, but its the truth, and I took a looong time to get there. 

so who am I to say it is so easy? 

 Prepare yourself for the most cliché line ever... ready?....

I know how you feel! 

right im a massive comfort eater, HUGELY. and I have done all the fads as well. 

•  The Cambridge diet witch basically was liquid for 8 weeks....lost a ton of weight that came back with a vengeance   
• The traffic lights system, 
• Starved myself ( packet of crisps, chocolate bar and a 2L bottle of coke a day) that worked surprisingly well (im not advising it tho) 
• Acia berry detox 
• Slim fast
• Calorie counting
• My mothers idea of healthy eating ;) 

let me tell you something ....they are are full of shit (bar my mother she was just trying to help)... don't bother! Waste of time and money. 

What can I say? I'm subconscious I grew up in a house full of women, went to an all girls school, and pretty much have always been one of the biggest girls around. Here is one thing that helped me change....   

I love this man, all time fave author ever! and he has been trying to tell me for years! lol

vegetable-a-Mon I chews you!

I realise on some people that reference is wasted and I'm sorry :P 

ok serious face on now time 

Right so I said in the first blog no I cant have to I don't want. you wanna know how all my magic happened. Getting organised and making healthy decisions. it helps to have people to scream at too, should food orientated ranting need to be done. Change your idea of what you want to be or at least try looking at the world differently!! 

let me help you start.....

 if you didn't have an addictions to some foods...then why are they so hard to give up???

You want the truth? you cant handle the truth!

You have really got to want it and want it bad! When I did all the fad diets, I thought, I did, I just was too lazy to get off my fat ass and earn it. BOOM and there it is.... I feel soo much better.

ladies lift heavy!!!!! cant stress that enough. and before you say anything....arn't I living proof you wont get bigger ??? or do you need more?

 Thought I wish to leave you with Today 

I'm Elana and I'm a Hi-five-aholic 

there is a little chemical reaction that happens in the brain that makes us feel happy when we get hi-fives. (test it next time you are with someone who is crying)

so you see someone working their arse off, or know your mate has been super good on their diet, give them a hi five! (or a compliment, I know some people think they are too cool for hi fives) 

honestly it can be the difference between keeping their healthy lifestyle and cheating. 

Did you know if you say paleo fast enough it sounds like bacon!

            

firstly I apologise for grammar and spelling after re-reading what I wrote yesterday, I realise that people without and Elana translator on their computer may think some of it doesn't read properly. It made sense in my head. :(  ill try and be better :) 

It has come to my attention that now I am blogging this challenge, it makes it very difficult to cheat (not that that though ever crossed my mind) . So first and fore most I'm going to post my measurements. (I hardly ever go by weight any-more, because weight is simply your relationship with gravity and well..... I've never been good at relationships. ;-) )

plus I feel better knowing I lost an inch than a pound! *insert money joke here* 

Waste ......28 inches 

Chest.........38 1/4 inches                                 These are my measurements :) 

Neck.........13 inches                                               

Hips...........42 3/4 inches                 I'll update these week to week. I have taken recording in picture

Calf ..........18 1/2 inches                form and ill post them up next week so you can see a change 

Love handles......37 1/2 inches                                                             if any.  

 

My extremely eventful day 

 For the most of today I found myself using the majority of my phones battery on googeling..

 'IS insert desired food PALEO?'  

I did this so much its now automatically comes up when I enter Google now *sigh*  I know now it might have been more helpful to be a tad more preprepared, But what can I say its typical me just going head first into things. I'm a tad impulsive like that.  :P 

on the bright side I now know what I can have, so a day well spent :) 

 

Here is some things I found today that made me giggle thought id share with ya :)

Today, be more brilliant than anticipated, more courageous than expected and more human than is commonly seen

re quoted from www.mi-gym.com  check them out!! DO IT. 

my AMAZING t-shirt I got for entering the open  with Mi-gym them.  New fave item of clothing i think  :) 

Before I go just a word of wisdom to any looking to change....it get expensive, I mean, none of my clothes fit  any more..  :-P   RESULTS POW!!!!!!!!!!