KiwiChick

I have lived both in Iceland and the UK! Iceland is awesome, Im a geologist so it was pretty much volcano-porn for me. If you have money for a tour - go on a golden circle tour (its a day trip from Reykjavik) as it shows you some of the cool scenery Iceland has to offer. In regards to the blue lagoon - its nice but a bit touristy, you can find some amazing natural hot springs which are more my thing. Iceland has some pretty crazy stuff to do, what are you interested in? August is the best time of year to visit, heaps of sunshine hours and not cold. Im a huge fan of Bath and Oxford in the UK, or pretty much anywhere that involves a train trip - the rail service is my fav way to travel as you get to see lots on the way.

Not feeling the best today - Im sooooo sore from run yesterday (calfs from running in vibrams) and my hips (ITB warning sign, must go find a foam roller!). And to top things off I was up spewing all night with food poisoning, so any work out etc is off the cards today. Happy Rest Day!

RUBBISH as summer! The sun was out on Sunday and I was on patrol at the local beach and got a sun burnt face, (i did put screen on but was in and out of water). Its colder than California thats for sure! Come on sunshine!

finally added a wee 4.8km run hopefully back into things now! Going to build back up to 1 hr + runs slowly over the next few weeks

Just managed a wee 4.8 km (hill) run (32 mins), it was tough I felt like lead and was quite tight chested, but hey I managed a run! whoop whoop can only get better from here. Todays Stats Waist: 68 cm (wow -2cm) Waist breathing in: 65 cm (-1 cm) Chest: 88 cm (same) Hips: 94 cm (same) Right Thigh: 54 cm (same) Cool so loosing fat around my tummy and maintaining my muscles - happy kiwi!

Love the positive attitude Yes Im feeling heaps better, now I just have an annoying lingering cough that is mostly at night rather than all day, still making getting to sleep a bit troublesome but much better. Aims for this week! Run x 3 even if it is 5-10 mins, just be nice to my body and listen to see if it is ready to run, if so yeah! Im getting butterflies thinking about going for a run, its a sunny day today so think Im up for a run attempt! pump class x 3 plus 2 x push up sessions and a trial push up update to see how many full push ups I can do in a row Continue corn-less diet, this is going really well thesis to do list and meeting with supervisor (aka last weeks work)

Nice work December Stumblers! Hammlin your my current hero I cant wait until my chest infection is gone so I can add some km's in! Im sure Im not the only one who gets super edgy when they cant run.

Being sick SUCKS! I havent been able to run as chest infection and been rubbish weather and I dont want to get sicker. Grrrr I get angsty when I cant exercise! Oh well, I did managed two pump sessions and 2x light cardio and core/push up sessions this week. But oneday after the gym I just had to go back to bed as I was so exhausted so I know I was doing too much so going to have to take it easier. Thesis - fail, did nothing this week, didn't have meeting with supervisor as spent the day in bed resting. Diet - no appetite from being sick (one positive!), so been very easy to avoid corn this week. I had rice twice (but like only 2 tablespoon serves). Im def noticing a change in my body from doing pump classes and pushups (im starting to get those cool chest muscles, so I cant wait to have some decent weather and be fully healthy so I can rock a bikini!) Aim for the next few days - take it easy! I have to get over this bug so I can start running again. Just going to do some yoga today.

Love this! Go team one!

Still coughing up gross crap from my lungs but managed a wee personal best at pump class this morning! I upped my weights from 10kg to 15kg for the squat track (i will get to 20kg by xmas!), increased from 10 - 12kg for back track, and managed to do the chest track push ups all on my toes (real push ups!) rather than from my knees so massive press up improvement happening *Happy but slightly still sick Kiwi* Not sure if I should be running with my chest cold... see how warm it is this avo and might do a light one just to keep my legs moving over

Ok - so ended up getting a massive cold (damn stress and traveling) so i have been taking it very easy the past few days, light gym session on sat and rest day today so hoping I can get back into weights and running tomorrow. Diet: being sick means I havent eaten a lot as my throat is too sore to swallow Felling heaps better tho - bring on the new week!

I used to use exercise as a way to justify my bad diet (it wasn't bad but I ate a lot of volume of food, prob about 3000+ cal a day) - like hard out, and it was a really bad habit to get into cause as soon as I stopped the hard core exercise (injury from over training) I piled on weight (Oh what a surprise!) So I would aim on making long term good food habits rather than drastically changing your diet. I love food and enjoy it, I just am learning to exercise and eat in moderation now, rather than both to extremes. Best of luck!

Ok - this is not strictly running related but Im hoping someone here can help me. So the past few years I have sucessfully moved into barefoot and VFF running shoes and pretty much that is all I have worn for the past 4 months (excluding the odd night out in pretty heals) and this has really helped me recover from knee and ITB issues. But now I have a problem- I have to wear safety boots for work, so Im easing back into them a few hours at a time but DAMN they hurt and are making my knees ache, which totally effects my running. I wore them on the plane back to NZ from USA and the next day my ankles were swollen and bruised. I hate them but anyone out there got suggestions other than just easing back into them and beginning to go for walks in them etc? I dont want to have to limp around at work! Thanks Kiwi

Sweet goals and good luck! I have been super slack the past 3 weeks so intend to go hard out for the next 3 to reach my goals. What are you writing towards? I love writing children stories. I hear you with the running - also coming back from injury and it is def better to get into a habit of small runs, I hope you remain injury free

IM STILL ALIVE! Yes I have been slack and made some crap (and some legitimate) excuses over the past 3 weeks but Im back into butt kicking kiwi mode! I have just made the move back to New Zealand for summer this week so am ready to settle back into routine. Goals progress: Today I went to pump class at the gym first thing which totally made me feel awesome, i havent been in 3 months but I managed the same weights as last class, and I even found that I need to add more weights next time esp in my legs! Yeah feel good moment Push ups are going ok - I have been doing 2-3 work outs a week but can only managed 21 non stop which is a long way off 60, but better than no progress. Sailing has also some arm strength perks, with my husband surprised at my anchor lifting skills (rawwww muscles). Running - ok bad kiwi hasn't run in a while, living on a boat and traveling across the world are not good friends with running, but no excuses from today onwards - Im going to do an hour beach run tomorrow which will thrash my legs and Im really looking forward to it! Corn: I have had about 2 meals a week containing corn products, e.g. tortillas or GF bread - none of which I have made at home myself but have been eating out or at familys house etc. This is good improvement I think, and now im back in NZ (where tortillas are expensive) I know I will have even less so am on target to remove this from my diet Thesis: I have a meeting next week with my supervisor to plan the details and catch up move forward on this. I havent done enough on this yet, and plan to do a decent 20 hours on this next week ( I will log my hours and report back!). OK so plan for the next week - check in here 3 times, 3 pump classes, 3 runs, 2 additional push up work outs, continue corn elimination, meeting at university and finalising thesis todo list. xoxox a Happy Kiwi

Sorry Im back! One of the unfortunate things about living on a boat is spontaneous sailing trips and lack of internet. Im back but exhausted from long day sailing - will update tomorrow

The goal is eventually being corn and rice free - so hopefully after 6 weeks I will have the skills to cope without it and hopefully not want it any more! In regards to staying on track - Im fine if Im cooking, eating out I can hopefully get extra vegis or salad to fill me up, but I see my main challenge as when work provides me food for field work, or eating at friends places etc. Any suggestions for this? Im already that annoying gluten free and seafood allergy girl!

Push ups max in a row = 19 (Friday Nov 16) crap the last few hurt!

@Athena Ahoy oh villainous mentor! Im a huge fan of tough love to please be as villainous as you like. Right - I shall do a time trial tomorrow, I will plot a course and time myself I think the number of push up training days a week is a good aim - I want to do 3 a week. I did a ses on wednesday and could hardly move yesterday (did sets of 10, 12, 9, 9, 13 with 90 sec break between and boy did I struggle on the last two sets). I also like the grade idea of getting an A for 60, B 50 and C 40 and will do a combination of both. At the moment I think I can do almost 20 in a row (will confirm later today). Diet - ok I like your idea, I think rice is going to be a toughy to cut out completely - I had some rice flour last night as a friend cooked me gluten free pizza (how can I turn that down!), but I havent had corn/products this week. mmm this goal needs refining, I will think about this on my run today (my thinking time). I will make a list of mini goals for my thesis, yip there are many loose ends to tidy up including finishing a chapter! I also need my supervisor a week or so to review it so I really need to have it ready to go for her in early december. Gosh this is going to be tough but it has to be done! I will report back in once I have made my lists and got some numbers for run and push ups to update on. :kiwi-fruit:

Yip Im a Dunedin girl, Im in USA at moment but back home in a few weeks for Summer

Hello fellow Kiwi looks like your off to a great start! Best of luck with the new baby

oooh what vibrams did you get? Im a massive fan and have currently 3 pairs for different activities (The first pair I got a few years back were kso's and I wore through them, they are prob my fav show of all time). Just remember to take it easy and run lightly or you will end up like me when I started useing them - on crutches after stress fractures. Im fine now and pretty much only wear VFF, I just was running wrong my whole life.

About me: I’m a total newby, I have been reading NF for a few weeks and been making small changes in my lifestyle and I think that now feels like the right time to really challenge myself so I’m stoked this challenge is well timed. I’m 27 y/o female from New Zealand but I travel between NZ, Australia and California for work/family, which means I totally lack a routine at the moment. Currently I’m living on a sailboat which is amazing, I really don’t want to have to leave sunny California later this month. I’m a total nerd with glasses, I love rocks and going outdoors to find more rocks, prefer latex to word, my husband of 7 years is a computer scientist and our wedding rings are meteorite (older and way cooler than diamonds), I have even acted in a computer game. I’m really excited about the next 6 weeks ☺ and look forward to kicking my own ass. Fitness 1: Run 10km (ideally sub 52 mins) – I need to do a time trial to see where I am at, cant remember the last time I even ran 10km, but I used to dream of running a sub 50 min 10km. To achieve this I need to get stronger, lighter and stretch everyday. I’m recovering from IT band issues (in both legs from my good old days of half-ironman triathlon). I adore my vibrams/barefeet running (a few years ago when I discovered VFF I was a hard plonky runner and chronic heal striker which resulted in stress fractures! ARGH I had to relearn to run again). So now I aim to be a light and dainty lightning speed woof elf. I think 3 runs a week is a safe aim without damaging myself. Fitness 2: To be able to do 60 push ups in a row. I downloaded the 100 pushups app, which will guide me to do 100 pushups after 6 weeks, but that seems like way too much too soon so I think 60 is more realistic aim and go from there. I have pretty mean arms for a small girl and am keen to get more chest muscle definition for NZ summer. I don’t want to get unbalanced muscle wise so I know I will have to balance out this training with triceps and back exercises etc but I love general strength training and lugging rocks around so hopefully this will all fit in nicely. Diet 1: Cut out the corn and rice. I’m gluten free by necessity so my diet for the last 7 years has been very rice and corn based, but I’m keen to take on a more paleo based diet approach and the first step I’m going do is to remove corn and rice from my diet, I don’t want to cut too much out at once so I think I will cut one thing out at a time over the next few months. Life 1: Submit my master’s thesis. This has been hanging over me for 5 years - yes 5 years (I ignore it and it doesn’t seem to have gone away). So I’m going to bite the bullet and banish this evil cloud that hangs over me and prevents me from moving forward in my life. Week 1 stats: Height: 161 cm (short and sweet) Weight: 56kg (4 years ago my triathlon race weight was 51ish kg, and last year I spiked to 62 +kg. ideally by xmas I would like to be 52kg so I can say I lost 10kg, but realistically 54 and I would be really happy. I’m learning weight is not as important as the whole optimal health thing) Waist: 70 cm Waist breathing in: 66 cm Chest: 88 cm Hips: 94 cm Right Thigh: 54 cm

Hi Im yet another newby here - Im 27 yr Female from New Zealand but currently in California. Im 5'3 and about 125 lb (down from 138 so heading the right direction). I don't have a goal weight I would rather get nice and tonned and reduce my body fat content. I woke up on Tuesday morning, fully clothed on the couch with no memory of how I got there, my last memory being drinking wine about 9pm monday night. mmmmm not good, real wake up call to get back to the old healthy me! I used to do half ironman trialthons and be super strong fit, and lean. Injury ment I kinda turned into a sad slob on antidepressants, but not any more - my lifestyle is about to improve. I have always been keen on the paleo lifestyle (im already gluten free and adore meat and healthy fats), but traveling has ment I dont have access to good fresh food - gosh america has so much hidden sugar and salt in everything! So over corn tortillas! So I plan to adopt a bit more of the paleo diet and cut back on the drinking! Today I restocked the cubbord and did some yoga on the lawn in the sun so Im feeling good Just wanted to say hi and I look forward to being a member of this super cool community. Im still thinking about my short and long term goals at the moment, I have an idea of the person I want to be, Im just not sure how to articulate that into goals yet! xoxo Kiwi