Kiki Dee

Oooooh I love my workout playlists. I like to come up with a new one each year. Though I'd quite happily keep listening to the same one for years on end... I seem to be alone in not liking the metal theme though. I'm not a rap fan, but Lose Yourself by Eminem is THE GREATEST track for a five minute sustained blast of cardio. Other features in my current playlist: Hazard to Myself by Illy Ubu by Methyl Ethyl Don't Stop Me Now by Queen Delilah by Florence and the Machine Only Human by Rag'n'Bone Man Shoot The Runner by Kasabian Supermassive Black Hole by Muse 19-20-20 by The Grates I Need A Hero by Bonnie Tyler Birds of Prey by Bertie Blackman And others. My taste is... eclectic I guess. But they all have a solid driving beat.

Yeah... considering how many years it's taken me to get here, I guess it symbolises quite a big thing. ❤️

I think I should share at least one photo of my sweet little Challenge Derailer. Here she is right now, being all sleepy and adorable.

Do the fillers etc "cook out" that way? I feel like I'd rather just not eat it if I had those concerns... I agree with you, grass fed is the way to go if you can source/afford it, for so many reasons!

Honestly it's mostly down to husband's unusually busy work week. I could get the big ticket stuff done if he were here to baby wrangle. And he's usually here all day Fri/Sat/Sun, just not this week. And yeah... she's sleeping on my lap right now, has been for the past 2 hours. I can smell her sweet milk-breath and she's just quietly breathing, occasionally doing that cute little sleeping dreaming baby-smile. Put her down for five minutes to go to the toilet and she screamed the whole time... back to sleep within 2 minutes back on me. She does at least sleep well in her own cot overnight. In more positive news, although I'm not back "at work" for another week, I happened to be the only specialist from our team who was in town this weekend. So I got to pop in this morning for a nice embryo transfer. And they've done up the front door, and my name is now on the door!!! Very exciting. (Sometimes it's the little things!)

Do... do people actually drain the meat??? That's a thing??? I can honestly say I've never drained the meat in my life. I did not realise there were people who did! ... Why would someone do that???

Ok, end of week 1, and... well, it has been a shocker!!! Poor choice I guess to start a challenge during a week in which Husband is on call. It kinda throws things out. Fitness Goals: 1. Strength training at least 2x/wk (preferably 3, but Life has a habit of getting in the way, and this isn't a short term habit we're looking at here - my activity has to fit within the demands of a two-doctor, three-child family.) - 2/2, pass 2. Some other movement-focused activity at least 1x/wk (eg BodyJam, Sh'Bam, Yoga, hiking). Can accept third strength workout in this category. - Nope. 3. Increase the difficulty of my strength workouts according to my longstanding self-imposed rules (All prescribed sets and reps completed in two consecutive workouts = mandatory increase in weight next time. Exceptions apply to activities which I know trigger my back, eg Pallof press, which past experience has taught me needs to go up very slowly!) - Pass, within the limits of injury. Kinda stoked that my dumbbell shoulder press is now up to 7kg; a month ago I struggled with 4. Nutritional Goals: 1. >= 3 alcohol-free days per week. - Nope. Only two. 2. Daily log of all food and caloric drinks consumed (Not going to log my coffee intake. It's embarrassingly high. I'm aware of this, and will reduce once the baby starts sleeping through!) - Criterion for success = 5/7 complete accurate days per week. - Pass Crafting Goals: 1. Finish my Rose Coloured Glasses socks. - Got some work done on them but have been diverted by the Love Is... MKAL 2. Block at least TWO of the three projects currently sitting at 99% in my Ravelry notebook, which are done and just awaiting blocking! - 0/2 3. One of these blocked projects must be my Annis, because I wish to wear it. - 0/1 4. Work on the "Love Is..." mystery knit along (once it is released) at least 3 times per week. Hopefully this will be in my nice pleasant 5.30-6am radio listening time. - Pass. I've put a lot of work into this, but am still behind the pace! Career Goals: 1. Spend at least one hour reading journal articles per week. Document what I've been reading, when and where in my Battle Log. I'm out of the habit and need to be back into it. - Nope. Forgot I was even going to do this... 2. Arrange time off work to attend at least one conference this year. Preferably two - one fertility, one general gynae. - 0/2, but this has to wait until I'm back at work in March Domestic Rangering Goals: 1. By the end of this challenge, COMPLETE CLEAN of Miss 8's bedroom, including a Wardrobe Purge - 0/1 2. By the end of this challenge, the Shelf Of Doom in my wardrobe will have been cleared, cleaned, and reordered. Photos required. - 0/1 3. By the end of this challenge, the floor of my wardrobe will have been cleared, cleaned, and reordered. Photos required. - 0/1 4. I will count the challenge as nominally successful if two out of the above three are complete. Each of those tasks is actually pretty freaking huge, and I do have a very small human to look after. So what could account for such abject failure so early in the challenge? Well, Miss Nearly-Six-Months has decided this week that she will ONLY nap while she is physically lying on my lap. And when awake, she will cry if she does not have Mummy's full attention!!! It's absolutely crippling my ability to do just about anything, and playing havoc with my frustration levels too of course. She's also decided she no longer likes the baby carrier. Add in a hefty dose of Mummy Guilt that I"m going back to work and leaving her in a week... Yeah. Lots and lots of time on the couch. Cuddling my baby. Guess what I'm doing right now??? 🙄

I have gotten seriously behind here. Been too busy keeping the domestic side afloat and not logging here! I have at least logged within Foodility most of the week. Righto, Wednesday. Breakfast: nectarine with vanilla yoghurt Lunch: Reheated mushroom risotto Dinner: Veggie burger with asparagus, broccoli, tomato/basil salsa (from the garden which is finally producing!), carrot Snacks: Lindt balls x3 (dark chocolate). 1 handful macadamias. And a couple of cheeky cherry tomatoes while I harvested for dinner. Alcohol: None. Exercise: Strength workout. Warmup: 5 minutes elliptical Cat-cows x12 followed by 6 neck flexion/extensions Hip extension stretches x9 each side Sumo squats with resistance band x 16 Glute bridges with resistance band around legs x 16 (purple band. Increase to green next.) Cable squats with straight arm press - 2 x 16, weight 3 as I was cosseting that sore arm. And it does still need cosseting, but at least I'm squatting and it's moving. Rotational lunges with cable pull - 2 x 9L/9R, weight 5. Hold stable. Stationary lunge with dumbbell shoulder press - 2 x 12L+12R. Weight 7kg. And I have finally found my tap-out weight for this exercise. Did 12L+12R first set, 8+4R/10+2L second set. Dumbbell chest flys on fitball - 2 x 16, weight 5kg. 10+6 then 16; hold stable. (After a form check with PT on Sat I learned I've not been putting enough of myself on the fit ball. Am now resting a bit more on the ball and it's definitely more stable.) Stepout dumbbell "row" - programmed 2 x 16 with 3kg, did 12+4 then 11+5. Another one I won't be upping for a while. Standing balance extensions - straight, external rotation and internal rotation. 4+4+4 each side, 2 sets. Still seeing improvements. Still can't string them all together! Pallof press on cable machine - 2 x 12+12, setting 3. Only did one set due to rising nausea. Plan a quarter-increase next time. All fours, opposite arm-leg raises, 2 x 12+12. Only did 6+6 with a lateral excursion, and was too exhausted to do another set. Cable rows on one knee, 2 x 12R+12L (6 at pace, 6 at increased time under tension for 3-count each direction), machine setting 8. Kept at 8 as this also irritates that sore spot on my right arm (which I think is my deltoid insertion). 12+12 first set, then 12+1 and just couldn't do anything further. I tried. Nope. So although I didn't do everything on the program, I genuinely could not squeeze out another rep and I felt like jelly walking out. So, y'know, job done. Thursday: Blergh. 5yo pulled a sickie which threw plans into disarray. Breakfast = scrambled eggs Lunch = took my mother out for her birthday. Had a cauliflower risotto and a glass of white wine. Dinner = Palak paneer after daughter's swimming lesson. Snacks = 3 x dark chocolate Lindt balls Alcohol= 1 glass wine at lunch and 2 with dinner Exercise = none. Wanted to do a BodyJam class and was all set but husband was on call this week and had a spinal cord compression to sort out. It happens. Not his fault, but kinda sucked because I missed Monday for my reasons and then Thursday for external reasons. Hence, I had wine instead. Friday: A better day. Husband was home for the afternoon (Friday usually his day off but he's on call so was in all morning). Breakfast: reheated mushroom risotto Lunch: Tofu and vegetables with rice noodles and soy sauce Dinner: Out as always. Grilled barramundi on salad with potatoes and basil pesto. Half a dozen oysters. Snacks: 3 x Lindt balls. Handful of macadamias. 2 jelly lollies which the children insisted I share with them. They're very sweet. ❤️ Alcohol: 2 glasses white wine at dinner Saturday: Again, husband in doing ward round half the day. But I got down to the gym in the afternoon. Breakfast: scrambled eggs Lunch: Grill'd Garden Beyond Burger with GF bun, kids' chips Dinner: GF vegetarian pizza (it's been a takeaway heavy week!) Snacks: Peppermint Magnum Alcohol: 2 glasses champagne with dinner Exercise: Strength workout Warmup: 5 minutes elliptical Cat-cows x12 followed by 6 neck flexion/extensions Hip extension stretches x9 each side Sumo squats with resistance band x 16 Glute bridges with resistance band around legs x 16 (green band) Cable squats with straight arm press - 2 x 16, weight 3. Arm is getting less painful but I am taking no chances. Rotational lunges with cable pull - 2 x 9L/9R, weight 5. Will increase next time but only to 5+ (quarter increase). Stationary lunge with dumbbell shoulder press - 2 x 12L+12R. Weight 7kg. Did 'em all. Go me!! Let's see if I can do it again on Monday... (I did need to take a break between R and L sides during second set because I was having palpitations and my watch said my HR was 184. I let it come down <150 before restarting.) Dumbbell chest flys on fitball - 2 x 16, weight 5kg. Did em all with that improved positioning! Again, let's see if I can do it again on Monday. Standing balance extensions - straight, external rotation and internal rotation. 4+4+4 each side, 2 sets. Still can't link them all. Pallof press on cable machine - 2 x 12+12, setting 3+. That quarter increase is really noticeable. All fours, opposite arm-leg raises, 2 x 12+12. All done, with lateral excursion, and a few muttered curse-words. Cable rows on one knee, 2 x 12R+12L (6 at pace, 6 at increased time under tension for 3-count each direction), machine setting 8. All completed, can't increase it until the arm is better though. Dicky arm aside, this was a really good workout. My final set of arm-leg raises, I got down on all fours and literally laughed, as I had no idea how I was going to make my limbs move! I love that feeling when you're stretching, and you think "yup, I could not have done *any* more even if I wanted to". I really do love my current program, though it takes me about 75 minutes to get through. But it's literally my only child-free time atm, so.... Challenge-wise, this week is a fail. Too much alcohol, not enough exercise. Haven't completed any of my big-ticket items. But hey, weeks with one of us on call are always messier. Sick child, birthday, still recovering from injury... And I can shoot for "Most Improved"!

Sigh. Still tired. Still sore. Less headaches this week though. Less sugar. Figured that was the connection, looks like I'm right. Tuesday: Breakfast: reheated eggplant schnitzel with mayo Lunch: reheated Mexican hotpot with avocado and sour cream Dinner: mushroom risotto Snacks: 2 cherries, 1 nectarine. Alcohol: 2 glasses white wine. (It's in the risotto, else I wouldn't have opened it...) Tomorrow = mandated strength workout (unless husband has a work emergency and can't get home in time). Suspect I'll be tailoring it around this bloody arm.

Blergh. Tracking has been a bit off since Wednesday! Ah well. Challenge began yesterday yeah? I did work out on Saturday (strength session with PT). My arm is still not better. This is causing me problems. I also went to BodyJam on Thursday, which didn't set anything off but also had a different instructor who was less inspiring than the usual guy. Still, movement - tick. Sunday: Breakfast: Shakshuka Lunch: Zambrero vegetarian nacho bowl Dinner: Mexican bean hotpot with avocado and sour cream Snacks: 1 piece orange and almond cake (Mr 5's second birthday cake, for his party on Saturday) Alcohol: 1 G&T, 2 glasses white wine Other Achievements: Completed Clue 1 of my "Love Is..." shawl. Next clue released Monday night (ie could start knitting it Tuesday). Monday (today): Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with sautéed spinach and garlic Lunch: Reheated vegetable Penang curry Dinner: Eggplant schnitzel with steamed broccoli, raw carrot, tomato/onion (Not sure how to describe this but it's basically diced tomato and diced onion with finely chopped garlic, salt, pepper, and grated chilli, all done in the microwave for about 6 minutes. It's really yummy, I do this a lot as one of the veggies with a protein dinner). Snacks: 3 cherries. 1 piece orange and almond cake. 1 handful macadamias. 1 small packet popcorn (bloody party leftovers). I shouldn't have had the cake or the popcorn, I was already feeling a bit off but somehow thought eating might make me feel better? I was very wrong and should have paid closer attention to my body's signals, but the baby was clingy and not napping and I couldn't get anything done all day as the second I put her down she'd start crying and I was just completely over it. Husband didn't get home until after 7pm, he's on call this week. So I think I interpreted frustration, and possibly thirst, as hunger. It was not. I feel really overfed now. Tonight was a scheduled workout. My arm is still sore (pain/injury sore, not just aching sore), and I'm utterly drained from parenting today, and the gym closes in an hour, and so I have decided not to go. It's the first workout all year I've missed. But given what happened last Monday when I went down against my better judgement, I'm going with it. Hopefully by Wednesday, my arm will be feeling better. (I keep hurting it every time I sit up to feed the baby overnight... might be why it's slow to improve) If not, I'll just have to go down anyway and modify what I do. Annoying. At least now I've fed the last of the cake to the children for dessert. And Miss 8 actually ate everything on her plate. (She got chicken schnitzel rather than eggplant. The kids and husband are still eating meat.). But she even ate her broccoli without complaining. So that's a win.

Depends how well the men have been pureed.

You never know - you might be the outlier who keeps the good habits!!! I still believe that setting them up with a good foundation and normalising good nutrition at the family table will win out in the end. We talk frankly about protein, fats, carbohydrates, sugars, and vitamins, and the importance of balancing them, and that every food has its' place etc etc. No demonising, no "clean eating" neuroticism, but loving our bodies by nourishing them so we can do cool things. Our trigger for Miss 8's pickiness was when she started school and started comparing with her friends (before that, daycare provided really well balanced meals so everyone got the same). And then of course her little brother took his lead from her. I reckon they'll come good eventually.

Ok I'm salivating just reading that. Yum!!! We're in the introducing-solids phase with our Littlest Miss too. For Child #1 we had to start at 4mo (as per her paediatrician, we had feeding issues and were doing the mixed-feeding thing like you), we did lots of lovingly prepared single-ingredient purees and mostly spoon feeding. She learned to eat a diverse range of foods including broccoli, olives and capsicum. We patted ourselves on the back. Around age 5, she decided she didn't like those things any more, and we estimate she is now (age 8 ) approximately 10% chicken nugget. (Which she's only allowed once a week, btw. But she often just won't eat what's on the table... Seeing gradual improvement over the last three months or so.) Child #2 was a much better feeder so we were debating whether to start him at 4, 5 or 6 months. He solved that dilemma for us by stealing my food one day shy of 4mo. So we did baby led weaning with him. He learned to eat a diverse range of foods. We patted ourselves on the back. Around age 3, he decided he didn't like many of those things any more. Both children now whinge about any green vegetable other than peas or fresh-from-the-backyard beans, and any red vegetable other than tomato or raw carrot. He does at least still eat mushrooms with me. So child #3 (currently 5.5 months) has been given small tastes of whatever we're eating. Sometimes I blitz it for her. Last night we ended up with pizza, and she munged on the crusts. I think we're halfway between baby-led-weaning and the formal single-ingredient-puree intro we did the first time. I anticipate that she will learn to eat a diverse range of foods, we will pat ourselves on the back, and some time between 3yo and 5yo, she will rebel and want processed foods like the other two. I am so sick of our dinner table arguments. Trying to channel my inner Ellyn Satter but gosh it's hard for a type-A-perfectionist! Anyway, whatever you guys end up doing, KB Girl hit it on the head - Food's for fun until they're one! (But mine have all slept better at night after introducing a small solid evening meal...) Cool that you nailed your Zero Week. Yay, let the challenge begin!

I have access to NF Yoga, but yoga is something I just don't particularly enjoy. Time is my big limiting factor - with three children and a two-doctor household, scheduling is pretty tight so I'm focusing on activities I love. Lifting, dancing. The rest can wait. I promise my current regimen has *heaps* of core work! I don't get to sit/lie on a bench even once from start to finish!

Lol. Let's go with that. 😂 Nah, my plan is "get strong enough in the core that I can keep it engaged full-time". Done a lot of physio over the years (decades). It helps me get through acute flares but hasn't made a colossal difference to baseline function. Pole dancing has had the best effect long-term; it was all core strength. Can't find a class I can actually get to atm though, so lifting and BodyJam it is for now. I'm optimistic.