I'm starting to feel like myself again! Bring on 2020 :)
In 2019 it felt like my body wasn't really my own. It's not how it started though. I started the year in possibly the best shape of my life. Since injuring my back badly in 2017, transitioning to a plant based diet and focusing on rehab I managed to increase my fitness and strength to a point where I was extremely proud. Then, only a little into the year the most unexpected thing happened.....
After being told for many years that I would probably never be able to have a baby, I found out I was pregnant!! Many of you know the story of how that unfolded. I had these great visions of a fit pregnancy, being able to continue training and teaching classes (somewhat modified of course as I'm not completely clueless) for the majority of my pregnancy. It was actually really exciting and I saw it as my next challenge and another way to inspire others. The universe, however, had other plans for me which I realised when my waters broke at the 20 week mark and changed everything. In that moment, my body no longer felt like my own. For the next 12 weeks it was simply about keeping our baby in and trying to grow her for long enough that she had a fighting chance at life.
She was born at 32 weeks, healthy, strong and just needed a bit of extra help in the hospital for about a month before we could bring her home.
Four months later and I'm really starting to feel like my old self again. I was lucky enough to be able to get back on the bike on the indoor trainer about a week after Madison was born which was the best feeling after being forced to rest for 12 weeks. It was tough at first but I just stuck with it. I went back to work teaching a few classes pretty soon after that which was really great for my mental state. It was a little disheartening at first as I realised just how much fitness and strength that I had lost but I just had to let that go. I did have quite a funny moment while teaching my first group training class where I was trying to teach the girls how to do pull ups with a band. I still had in my head the fact that I was able to do unassisted pull ups relatively easy so I just put my foot in the band and went to pull myself up.......well, let's just say I finished with the words "so you get the idea!" Later that night I saw a quote that said "what the mind believes, the body achieves", well, not in this case! My mind thought that I could still do a banded pull up. My body on the other hand......
My maternity leave is officially now over, but I am still easing back into work and not doing full time hours. As tough as it sometimes feels to find the energy particularly to go in after a day at home dealing with a baby who despises naps, I feel that work is actually keeping me somewhat sane. Having that adult interaction is pretty amazing when you've spent the whole time talking to a baby, two dogs, a cat and yourself..... I'm also needing to cook dinner before I leave so it's ready to heat up when I get home meaning that I can get Madison to bed around 7:30. I thought I was an organised person before, now I need to be next level organised! I also have to be prepared to achieve very little and change my goals that I set the night before to be only small ones. Last night I set myself a goal to simply 'start' working on some bookwork that I need to catch up on. Needless to say, I'm about to head into work and I didn't even get it out of my folder.....
Today's meal is red curry and rice so I'm definitely looking forward to that when I get home tonight :)
Pretty simple to make.....
250gm Tofu cut in small blocks
1 chilli
1 tsp of garlic
1 onion chopped
Fry until the onion and tofu is brown then set aside
Fry ALL of the veggies (your choice) in the pan. I use broccoli, capsicum, mushroom, bok choy....
Add sauce (1 can coconut milk and a jar of red curry paste. I find the vegan red curry paste at Woolworths)
Then add everything together and simmer for about five minutes.
DONE!
