and a new one just begun....
Wow..... 2012 January 1st!
Sitting here reflecting on the year that was 2011... I cast my mind back to a year ago when I posted this on my design blog (and later transferred it to the Vivid blog). This really was the catalyst for Vivid Health and Fitness, and everything that happened in 2011 reaffirmed my path, my choices and that I'm doing what I should be :)
I made a conscious decision in early 2011 to commit more fully to healthy eating and active living and by default my family did too ;)
In April 2011 Vivid Health and Fitness was born. A place to share inspiration, motivation, tips, recipes, make friends and learn how to LIVE a VIVID life.
Along came the Lorna Jane Modern Muse competition in June. When I read the selection criteria and realised that I "ticked all the boxes" I followed my heart and entered this video (thanks again to my gorgeous friend De at Deanna Whyte Photography for helping with this!)
The positive response, feedback, phone calls and emails I received from friends, family and strangers was astounding and effected me deeply. People were "hearing" me. I was "reaching" them, helping them, inspiring them....and I knew this was what I was 'meant' to be doing.
Being announced as one the Top 5 finalist in the nation was truly amazing!! Vivid, still in it's infancy, was getting nation wide exposure and I started to thinking a bit more about just where I could take it.
Vivid had a growing community and we entered our first event as Team Vivid for City to Surf, with most members never having competed before. The momentum continued with another Team Vivid event, the Pink Triathlon, all of us Triathlon virgins (and now big fans!).
Having so many Vividians, as you are all affectionately known, come and particptae in my classes also took my instructing to another level in 2011. I wanted to inspire further and, as I'm all about leading by example, I became fitter and stronger as the year progressed.
Perhaps, however, the thing that has had the biggest impact on me and Vivid Health and Fitness was the phenomenal honour of being asked to become an ambassador for Lululemon Athletica and their Karrinyup store. If you missed it, here is the post about it :)
Being associated with such an AMAZING company that is so very supportive has been nothing short of incredible. I can not speak highly enough of EVERY aspect of the company, from the very core values the company operates on, to the beautiful staff, amazing learning opportunities they offer, community spirit of giving, sharing and learning and the products themselves!
It is because of Lululemon that I have been able to clarify my vision for Vivid Heath and Fitness and fast forward it somewhat ;)
Some things to look forward to with Vivid Health and Fitness in 2012:
• Calendar of events to enter into with Team Vivid including Freeway Bike Hike, City to Surf, Pink Triathlon and more!
• Bi-monthly active outings, meant to get you out of your comfort zone and open to all :)
• Group training sessions with me :) Pricing, info and schedules coming this week - watch this space!!
• Social get togethers
...and of course all the other things that you have come to know, love and expect from me and Vivid including, first and formost, my support for you living your best and most VIVID life!!!
2011 was a truly amazing year for me. It lead me to a place I didn't actually expect to be starting 2012 at but I am so very grateful to be where I am, to have all I have and to be living this VIVID life.
Here's to continued success and all the opportunities that 2012 will bring. So happy to be sharing it with YOU!
Jen
xx
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
And so this is Christmas....
And what have you done...?
Hopefully you spent special, quality time with loved ones :)
We had a wonderful day, here is a pic of me and my eldest all glammed up! I thought I would include it as it's a bit different to how you may see me at the gym ;)
...apart from that though, you've probably eaten a lot of the stuff you usually wouldn't too?
It's alright. Really, it's OK! The way I approached Christmas this year was to find balance and be neither a glutton nor feel guilty about having my Christmas pudding. In reference to my last post, it IS just one day after all ;)
So, don't eat like it's Christmas now... that was three days ago!
I find that the trap after Christmas is the leftovers and the food gifts, namely chocolates, sitting round the house.
I go back to this simple rule often and it is VERY applicable at this time of year, "If it's not there, you can't eat it." To combat this in years gone by my approach would have been to get rid of it as fast as possible by eating (scoffing) it all.
Now I'm not so keen to be doing that and have instead taken to sending guests home with "doggy bags" or *gasp!* throwing some leftovers out! (Namely trifle and pavlova). All the chocolates have gone into one jar up the top of the pantry, (there is s a lot there!) and they will be rationed to the kids as I see fit.
Leftover meat and veges have been GREAT for healthy and easy meals though!
So, where to from here? Well, stop feeling guilty and instead of sitting around feeling bloated, MOVE! Start your New Years resolution a few days early!
...and if you are looking for new ways to move and be motivated in 2012 stay tuned.... ;)
Jen
xx
Hopefully you spent special, quality time with loved ones :)
We had a wonderful day, here is a pic of me and my eldest all glammed up! I thought I would include it as it's a bit different to how you may see me at the gym ;)
...apart from that though, you've probably eaten a lot of the stuff you usually wouldn't too?
It's alright. Really, it's OK! The way I approached Christmas this year was to find balance and be neither a glutton nor feel guilty about having my Christmas pudding. In reference to my last post, it IS just one day after all ;)
So, don't eat like it's Christmas now... that was three days ago!
I find that the trap after Christmas is the leftovers and the food gifts, namely chocolates, sitting round the house.
I go back to this simple rule often and it is VERY applicable at this time of year, "If it's not there, you can't eat it." To combat this in years gone by my approach would have been to get rid of it as fast as possible by eating (scoffing) it all.
Now I'm not so keen to be doing that and have instead taken to sending guests home with "doggy bags" or *gasp!* throwing some leftovers out! (Namely trifle and pavlova). All the chocolates have gone into one jar up the top of the pantry, (there is s a lot there!) and they will be rationed to the kids as I see fit.
Leftover meat and veges have been GREAT for healthy and easy meals though!
Just try and clear out the sweet stuff before eating a slice of christmas cake with your cup of tea becomes habit again.
...and if you are looking for new ways to move and be motivated in 2012 stay tuned.... ;)
Jen
xx
Thursday, December 1, 2011
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....
Are you singing? ;)
Here's is my gift to you.... some tips on how to enjoy Christmas without having a TOTAL blowout.
Indulging is synonymous with Christmas for most people. For many, it is a day of friends, family and feasting. Nothing wrong with that, at all. I am a HUGE fan of Christmas (and Christmas pudding!) but like most I'm not a huge fan of that aftermath of the silly season and the unwanted present of those extra kgs!
This need not be the case.
Christmas is one day. Indulging a bit more for a day shouldn't really cause the 'problems' it seems to. So how does it happen?
Well really you could say it's not one day, it's three if you count Christmas Eve and Boxing day.
But it goes far beyond that...
I am writing this post today, on the first of December, the first day of summer (read"bather time"), because 'Christmas' seems to start for some now!
We've been surrounded by Christmas decorations etc in the shops for a while now already. Hands up who has bought some Christmas lollies/shortbread/chocolates already......and eaten them!
Some of you may even have already had a Christmas party, because December fills up pretty quickly with social engagements!
It may seem that the 'world' is conspiring against our healthy eating and fitness plans.
So here are some tips to help navigate you way through the silly season with your beach body in tact and without the need for drastic New Years resolutions ;)
1. Christmas is 25th of December. Put the mince pies down. It is December 1st! Just because it is Christmas month it doesn't mean you can eat like it's Christmas everyday.
2. KEEP training. Yes, December is busy. So juggle things around a bit so you can stay active. Have to miss a class? Find one you can replace it with. Don't allow Christmas (which is one day people) to get in the way of your workouts. In fact, I am a fan of getting in a little extra "credit" before Christmas knowing that I WILL be indulging :)
3. Eat a healthy snack/meal BEFORE you go to your Christmas party so you don't scoff the whole deep fried platter!
4. Be taxi for at least one/some social get togethers and if you are going to drink, do the water wedge! Not only will you drink less, and therefore consume less empty calories, but a hang over and the greasy food the next day are less likely to happen ;) I am a also a big fan of low alcohol wine/champagne. Means I can 'drink' all night with a fraction of the calories and minus the headache the next day.
5. Do NOT go Christmas shopping on an empty stomach. Eat a healthy meal before you go and take a healthy snack with you so you don't succumb to the hot chips at the food hall or the slice of cake with your coffee. I always have a couple of pieces of fruit/carrot sticks/water with me for the kids and me :)
Added bonus - save money!
6. Don't do food gifts. Tell people you really don't want chocolate/shortbread/cake/pudding as gifts. It doesn't mean you are being ungrateful. Hopefully they will understand and support you. It tends to be these boxes of chocolates we have hanging around AFTER the 'day' that contribute most to the extra kgs!
In the past I have baked for friends and family but this year (spoiler alert for friends!) I am giving out herbs with a recipes using the herbs in a cute pot :) Get creative with your gift giving in a non food way :)
7. Christmas lunch itself is really not that bad as far as healthy eating goes. It's generally a roast or seafood. It's just that we tend to eat more than we usually would and continue eating this way till new years, a week later, simply because it's there! I am one for usually over catering but this year I will NOT be buying the extra bag of toffees/chips/chocolates to have just sitting out. As someone who tends to 'pick', these are deadly for me. One quickly turns to 10...etc...
Have some healthy alternatives, much better to 'pick' on something like this!
Here's is my gift to you.... some tips on how to enjoy Christmas without having a TOTAL blowout.
Indulging is synonymous with Christmas for most people. For many, it is a day of friends, family and feasting. Nothing wrong with that, at all. I am a HUGE fan of Christmas (and Christmas pudding!) but like most I'm not a huge fan of that aftermath of the silly season and the unwanted present of those extra kgs!
This need not be the case.
Christmas is one day. Indulging a bit more for a day shouldn't really cause the 'problems' it seems to. So how does it happen?
Well really you could say it's not one day, it's three if you count Christmas Eve and Boxing day.
But it goes far beyond that...
I am writing this post today, on the first of December, the first day of summer (read"bather time"), because 'Christmas' seems to start for some now!
We've been surrounded by Christmas decorations etc in the shops for a while now already. Hands up who has bought some Christmas lollies/shortbread/chocolates already......and eaten them!
Some of you may even have already had a Christmas party, because December fills up pretty quickly with social engagements!
It may seem that the 'world' is conspiring against our healthy eating and fitness plans.
So here are some tips to help navigate you way through the silly season with your beach body in tact and without the need for drastic New Years resolutions ;)
1. Christmas is 25th of December. Put the mince pies down. It is December 1st! Just because it is Christmas month it doesn't mean you can eat like it's Christmas everyday.
2. KEEP training. Yes, December is busy. So juggle things around a bit so you can stay active. Have to miss a class? Find one you can replace it with. Don't allow Christmas (which is one day people) to get in the way of your workouts. In fact, I am a fan of getting in a little extra "credit" before Christmas knowing that I WILL be indulging :)
3. Eat a healthy snack/meal BEFORE you go to your Christmas party so you don't scoff the whole deep fried platter!
4. Be taxi for at least one/some social get togethers and if you are going to drink, do the water wedge! Not only will you drink less, and therefore consume less empty calories, but a hang over and the greasy food the next day are less likely to happen ;) I am a also a big fan of low alcohol wine/champagne. Means I can 'drink' all night with a fraction of the calories and minus the headache the next day.
5. Do NOT go Christmas shopping on an empty stomach. Eat a healthy meal before you go and take a healthy snack with you so you don't succumb to the hot chips at the food hall or the slice of cake with your coffee. I always have a couple of pieces of fruit/carrot sticks/water with me for the kids and me :)
Added bonus - save money!
6. Don't do food gifts. Tell people you really don't want chocolate/shortbread/cake/pudding as gifts. It doesn't mean you are being ungrateful. Hopefully they will understand and support you. It tends to be these boxes of chocolates we have hanging around AFTER the 'day' that contribute most to the extra kgs!
In the past I have baked for friends and family but this year (spoiler alert for friends!) I am giving out herbs with a recipes using the herbs in a cute pot :) Get creative with your gift giving in a non food way :)
7. Christmas lunch itself is really not that bad as far as healthy eating goes. It's generally a roast or seafood. It's just that we tend to eat more than we usually would and continue eating this way till new years, a week later, simply because it's there! I am one for usually over catering but this year I will NOT be buying the extra bag of toffees/chips/chocolates to have just sitting out. As someone who tends to 'pick', these are deadly for me. One quickly turns to 10...etc...
Have some healthy alternatives, much better to 'pick' on something like this!
9. Get to the beach. Wearing bathers should be a pretty good reminder that you may not want to indulge QUITE as much ;)
The deeper engrained a healthy lifestyle is for you the easier these points will be to stick to.
Like I said, I LOVE Christmas AND Christmas pudding and with these few tips I will be able to have my pudding and eat it too ;)
Jen
xx
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