Emerald Eagle

You cannot pour from an empty cup. I have realised the hard way that I cannot be the best Mum, wife, friend, member of society that I want to be if I don't take care of myself first. In the haze of caring for a newborn and living in a global pandemic caring for myself has slipped well off the radar and I need to change this for everyone's sake. Physically my body has never healed from the emergency c-section I had in June and the few workouts I've managed in the last 6 months may have done more damage than good. My nutrition is also way off track - I've been eating to get the calories in (yay breastfeeding) but sleep-deprived days and nights mean too much been processed junk. The pandemic has meant I'm not able to attend an in-person gym (I'm sure that's not a unique experience!) and wanted to start working out at home but it means I've lost my community so I really want to reconnect on the forums with others who have health and fitness goals. Goals 1. Pour in good quality fuel. Better nutritional choices will make my body feel better, ultimately help me change my body composition (reduce my body fat* and hopefully eventually build muscle), and set a good example for Bub who is starting to try solids. Grocery shop and meal prep at least once a week to ensure there are healthy meal options on hand Eat 2 meals a day that include a source of protein and a colourful fruit or vegetable (potatoes don't count as veggies! *I don't like talking about weight so while I don't have a way to track my body comp apart from the scale, I want to use language about reducing body fat and changing my body composition not losing weight. 2a. Do your damn rehab! I bought an 8 week program to help me recover from pregnancy and birth AGES ago but I've never actually completed it. It's never to late! Do 'Core + Floor Restore' Program a minimum of 4 times per week 2b. Pour in some intentional movement. Movement makes me feel good! It doesn't have to be heavy or intense but getting back to some movement will help build the habit for the rest of the year. Complete an at home Crossfit workout OR ride my exercise bike for 30 minutes 3 times per week 3. Reconnect with the Rebellion. I have really missed having a community to connect with you "get it". I've also started a few challenge threads since Bub was born and never made it through to the end so I am making it an intentional goal to update my thread and keep it up for the whole 5 weeks. Update challenge thread a minimum of 5 times per week Comment on other people's threads a minimum of 3 times per week Weekly Tracker Nutrition: Grocery Shop and Meal Prep: □ Protein & Veggies x 2: □□□□□□□ Movement: Rehab: □□□□ Crossfit: □□□ Community: Thread Update: □□□□□ Comment: □□□ Key: to complete - □ completed - ☑

Social distance appropriate wave! Returning to the forums after quite an absence, feels so good to be back!

I am thinking I might have to be OK with toast, it just doesn’t feel healthy, particularly after doing Whole30s and paleo-ish eating for so long. This is something I am definitely realising! Though knowing it and actually adjusting those expectations are two different things! Thank you 😁 Wednesday 29th July Food - Didn’t even get toast today, just snacked on things I could eat one handed that came from a packet. Sausages and mushrooms with oven baked potato chips for lunch. I made carbonara pasta for dinner - lots of veggies (mushrooms, capsicum, zucchini) and bacon in a creamy sauce. Did much better with water except for when I was out of the house - it’s impossible to drink while wearing a mask. Movement - While I didn’t get any formal exercise done I did complete a solo trip to the grocery store. Walking the whole store wearing a 4kg weight vest (aka Bub in her carrier) and carrying 10 days worth of groceries in and out of the car is definitely a workout! Hygiene - I did get a very quick shower before heading out of the house. I brushed my teeth in the shower. Thursday 30th July Food - Made myself toast for breakfast, left hubby to sleep after Bub slept for a 5 hour window overnight! Finished off the sausages for lunch. Hubby made chicken parmas for dinner, served with potatoes and peas. The house got a bit warm today (our primary heating is a wood fire - I let it burn too hard and that combined with the milder weather today meant it got warm!) which meant I drank a lot of water throughout the day. Movement - No formal movement today, I had to spend nearly 3 hours sorting out government paperwork to finalise the registration of Bub’s birth. I did spend some time outside this afternoon throwing the ball for the puppy dog while Bub sat in her swing and watched. She really enjoyed the sunshine, fresh air, and watching the birds in our gum trees. Hygiene - Shower and teeth done.

Zero Week, Tuesday Bub finally settled at 2am this morning *sigh*, thankfully we got 2 decent sleep blocks after that and finally started our day at about 9.30am. I had my first new mothers' group via Zoom today. Due to the timing I really didn't have a chance to do anything else much during the day. Food - breakfast was still no good, just toast. I had leftover beef and veggie stir fry for lunch and hubby made chicken fajitas for dinner. 2/3. I did not drink enough water today but I'm working on resolving that now before we all head to bed. Movement - nothing Hygiene - Yes! Left Bub in her bed when she was stirring and had a shower before we headed downstairs for the day. All in all not a bad day, not the best I.can do though.

Thank you! It's nice to know you aren't alone Thanks! Showers are high on my self-care list. Probably helped by the fact that I am not a bath person at all. Absolutely, it's so easy to just snack on junk and suddenly realise you've missed a meal time. Zero Week, Monday Food - 2/3. Toast for breakfast (that's the 0 - no protein or veggies, just bread and jam). I had a bit of a rough morning with Bub after not getting a whole lot of sleep - she was up and down even more than normal through then night. Lunch was sausages, mushrooms and potatoes. Ideally I'd like to see more variety in their but for now I'll take it! For dinner I had 2 servings of spinach and ricotta cannelloni, it was delicious! Water intake was pretty good, but was concentrated in the evening. I find I am drinking a lot less when I leave the house now that they have mandated face masks in public - you can't drink or snack with. face mask on. Definitely going to need to think about this later in the week when I'm out for longer periods as I need to keep my fluids up. Movement - I left the house! I actually drove for the first time since Bub was born and all on my own (hubby is back at work). I took her to get an ultrasound on her hips because our maternal and child health nurse wanted to check they were developing properly. Nothing to worry about at this stage and while the techs can give you an official "all clear" the signs all look good - we'll get the results back in a few days. Unfortunately I didn't get any actual exercise in - it was raining (that's new - it's just been super cold the last few weeks but clear) so I didn't venture outside and honestly was pretty wiped so just read my book while she had her afternoon nap. Hygiene - Nope and nope. Like I said above the rough morning meant Bub barely settled long enough for me to make breakfast let alone have a shower. Probably a poor excuse, but tracking this will hopefully mean I'm more mindful of it.

Wow that walk looks beautiful! It’s also making me jealous of your beautiful sunny weather! I am now going to look for the Forest of Dean in movies and TV shows I watch.

I had to click on your challenge when I saw the title! All the high school memories! Nice goals, I particularly appreciate your happy-making plan and look forward to seeing the variety of things you do.

Joining the COVID blues, it feels like things are ramping up here and the light at the end of the tunnel is very small and a long way away. Sorry to read about your sleeping woes. We’re still in the new born phase so up and down all night is par for the course!

For anyone who missed my last challenge (which is probably everyone considering I started it with only a week to go) on the 8th June this year my life changed forever when our baby girl was born. I am still in the process of learning how to be a Mum and balance #MumLife with my own health and well-being. I know that I can best care for my child if I first care for myself so these challenges are designed to make smart choices for me. Also mentioned in the last challenge, I am struggling with the balance between holding myself accountable / not accepting crappy excuses v not beating myself up too much and accepting that doing my best is all I can do. I know that these early days with a newborn can be unpredictable and there will be (have been) days where it’s just about survival. At the same time I am setting these goals for a reason and there isn’t a point if I don’t work towards them. If anyone had any suggestions about how to manage this I’d love to hear them! As this is a slightly more structured version of my previous challenge, I will be tracking through Zero week. GOALS 1. FOOD - 3 solid meals per day, must include minimum 1 fruit or vegetable and 1 source of protein + drink min 2L of water each day. A breastfeeding Mumma needs good quality fuel to keep herself going and fuel Bub. Liquid intake for breastfeeding is also very important and soft drink is not an acceptable source of liquid. 2. MOVEMENT - Exact goal under review, for now track movement each day. This goal did not go as I had hoped last challenge. We are still in Stage 3 lockdown here and may even have restrictions increased further. That plus the crappy weather makes going for walks unappealing, though I know I feel better on days when I walk and the puppy needs it too. I have also invested in a postpartum rehab program that is meant to help me prepare to get back to exercise (something I really want to do) but so far I haven’t managed to start it. Need to figure out what the blocker is here and make it happen. 3. HYGIENE - Shower every day, brush teeth every day. It’s a cliché that new Mum’s live in their pyjamas and a shower is a victory but unfortunately in my experience it’s shockingly true. I know I feel better and am more productive on days when I get a shower, dress for the day (even if it is in clean leggings) and brush my teeth. I am also really ally hoping to reconnect with people here on the forums. For now it’s not a formal goal but I am stating it to be accountable. See you on your challenge threads! In the meantime would love for you to say Hi here and let me know what I’ve missed!

Overall I am pretty happy with how much I achieved in this first week. Aiming for consistency and tracking at the moment and incremental progress. No Zero week for me, going to keep tracking and stay on track as much as possible.

Survived my first week with hubby at work, counting that as a win. The weekend was pretty cruise-y, enjoying time as a family. Friday 24th July Food - 2/3 I think. Honestly, the days all blend together and I don’t really remember. Movement - I did manage a short walk before Bub was sick over all over me and the carrier so we headed home early. Saturday 25th & Sunday 26th July Food - Had a great day on Saturday, even made roast pork for dinner. Today we had a quieter day and I didn’t have a great breakfast but the rest of the day was good. 5/6 Movement - Saturday morning we went on a long walk around our local lake. It was cold but sunny and an enjoyable change of routine. Sunday was a lazy day with no formal movement.

Thursday 23rd July Food - Still haven’t nailed breakfast, ate toast and then later some fruit toast neither of which are healthy enough for my liking. For lunch I had vegetable samosas. I had planned to cook roast pork for dinner but hubby organised with a neighbour to drop over some dinner so we had pastie instead. I’ll cook the roast tomorrow night instead. 2/3 Movement - Another zero today. We had a quiet day at home hiding from the cold and wet weather. 0/1 I am struggling to balance holding myself accountable and not accepting excuses, while also being kind to myself and accepting the reality of caring for a newborn. I don’t want to just survive but I also know pushing myself too hard will do more harm than good. Any suggestions very welcome!

Can’t wait to hear the conclusion of your trail mix experiment! Glad things have continued to be good.

Wednesday 22nd July After Bub’s immunisations yesterday we had a bit of a rough night as she was unsettled. Because of this she and I had a pretty lazy day recovering. Food - I didn’t really have breakfast, just snacks between feeds. I did manage a late lunch of pork sausages with mushrooms and sweet potato fries. Hubby cooked a delicious bolognase for dinner. 2/3 Movement - I did manage to leave the house and take Bub and our puppy for a walk up to our local strip of shops to fill a prescription and pickup some groceries. The fresh air and movement was definitely good for me. 1/1

Thanks! We think she’s pretty cute but we are bias so it’s always nice to get an outside opinion. Tuesday 21st July Today was a big day - hubby went back to work and Bub had her 6 week immunisations. Food - I made my own toast this morning because hubby had already left for work. I also had a bagel with ham for breakfast, yay for protein! For lunch I had leftover pasta with lots of veggies. For dinner we had roast potatoes, steamed veggies, and chicken breast covered with mushroom gravy (my comfort food!) 3/3 Movement - Another day without formal movement. I really need to get better here though I am also trying hard to not be too harsh on myself. I was hoping to walk up to the pharmacy with Bub but after her immunisations she was pretty wiped and slept most of the afternoon. By the time she was awake and had fed it was too dark and cold for a walk.

Monday 20th July Today was a big day of appointments and we are all exhausted. Our day included a maternal child health nurse appointment for Bub, a GP appointment for me, and grocery shopping. Thankfully all the appointments went well but we got good news but it was exhausting! Food - Had my usual toast breastfeeding snack at 8am instead of the middle of the night because of the timing of our feeds last night. Now that we have restocked our fridge and pantry I have some options that include some protein and fruit for the rest of the week. We bought lunch while out between appointments - I had a chicken wrap and hot chips. I cooked beef and veggie stir fry for dinner while hubby had a video call with his CFA brigade. 2/3 Movement - Because of all the appointments and errands I did not have time for any extra movement. Regardless I am sure I will sleep well tonight if Bub gives me the chance. 0/1

Saturday 18th July Food - Didn't really have a proper breakfast. I ate toast at 4am (because breastfeeding) and then snacked throughout the morning. Lunch was leftover pizza and pasta and dinner we ate takeaway Indian from a local restaurant. We are trying to eat once a week from one of our local restaurants to support them as they are struggling through things. 2/3 for the day. Movement - We meet our friends for a social distance doggy play date at the Park. I had Bub in the carrier on my chest which went well though after the hour I was starting to really notice the weight. It was the first time I had carried her, hubby has always worn the carrier before now. 1/1 Sunday 19th July Food - Still no good for breakfast, I need an easy solution for this particularly with hubby back at work next week. Had a toasted sandwich for lunch while watching my football team frustrating lose their game when the other team kicked a goal after the final siren. Thankfully Bub slept through my tense cheering in the final quarter. Hubby cooked chicken parmas for dinner. 2/3 Movement - I had planned to go for a walk after the footy was finished but a storm rolled in and it was was too wet and dark to go out. I opted for tummy time with Bub rather than the rehab exercises I probably should have done. 0/1

Cheetah I love your vlogs! Vlogs are good And your state park adventures sound awesome! Your sanddune story made me think of my summers as a kid which were spent at my grandparents beach house with a gaggle of cousins. Our local surf beach had awesome dunes that we used to play on, my Dad used to call it "acting like galahs" (which is basically Aussie slang for being silly) when we ran or rolled down the dunes. I can definitely also attest to them being a great workout; we used to see professional football players (Aussie rules football) running up the dunes as summer conditioning training!

Baby Elizabeth Mary 😍

Hello wonderful NF Ranger family! I know it has been a long time since I disappeared from the forums but I am really feeling the need for accountability and connection at the moment so here I am. I also know there is only one week left of this challenge but I have the time and the motivation to login now so I am taking advantage it (strike while the iron is hot as they say). So much has happened since I was last here, the most dramatic thing being the arrival of our beautiful daughter who was born on 8th June this year. Pregnancy was rough, a whole lot harder than I expected, and labour and delivery also did not go to plan as we had an emergency C-section. We got the most important outcome, a healthy happy baby, but physically I am massively de-conditioned and now learning how to care for a newborn and myself. After 6 weeks of hubby goes back to work on Monday and thanks to COVID we are in "Stage 3 Restrictions" here meaning I can't have visitors over to help me during the day when he is gone. The ultimate goal at the moment is a happy, healthy family. To do that I know I need to look afterwards myself so that I can in turn look after my daughter. I also need to not rush or overdo things; just because I have been cleared to exercise (fingers crossed this happens at my doctors appointment on Monday) I should definitely not jump straight back into Crossfit (as much as I really want to - I missed it so much!). GOALS FOR A HEALTHY HAPPY MUMMA BEAR 1. Food - Three solid meals a day, ideally with at least veggies and some protein but I'll settle for a proper meal that's not just snack/junk food. Snacks and extra food is allowed because I'm breastfeeding and sleep deprived and you've gotta do what you need to survive, but I also need good quality fuel. 2. Movement - Some form of intentional movement every day. It's winter here and being in lockdown means I don't get out of the house much but I feel so much better when I go for a walk in the fresh air (plus it's good for baby and our pup who we are trying to not neglect). Alternatively I have purchased a 6 week "core and floors restore" program that should help me start to rehab my body and prep it for more intense exercise; this should be done as a minimum on days when the weather is too crappy to walk. I am hoping reconnecting on here can help a little with the social isolation as well. Please say hi and let me know how you're all going! I have missed this community a lot.

The guy who owns our box is the King of sneaky programming. He creates all these workouts that look simple on paper and are so painful to do! Thursday 30th May - Week One 1. Stop eating like an idiot X 2. MOVE! ✓ 1/2 - Milo and jelly snakes are not breakfast! Eugh. The rest of the day went well enough, eating-wise. Dragged my butt to the gym and did a nasty cardio workout. Came home and cooked stir fry with noodles for dinner. Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday.

Photographic proof!

Something I have learnt recently is to celebrate the good days when they come. I'm glad you managed to take advantage of it. Do you have a plan for rehabbing your ankle or is it just time?

Welcome back Rho! I hope your head recovers fast. Emotional eating is one heal of a dragon to slay but you are stronger.

That's awesome! Welcome aboard Wednesday 29th May - Week One 1. Stop eating like an idiot ✓ 2. MOVE! ✓ 2/2 - A much better day all round. The weather has really turned here, despite it technically being Autumn for another week it is officially freezing. Lots of layers of clothing to survive the office today, but it was a productive day. Got up a little late and didn't have time for cooked breakfast but survived until lunch on a piece of fruit. I did not feel like going to the gym this afternoon, it was cold and dark but "I am a person who goes to the gym 5 days a week" so I dragged my butt to the box. I worked out in my jumper today it was so cold! We started with a strength portion - 20 minutes to establish a heavy 2 x paused front squat and 1 x hang squat clean. For the first time since I hurt my knee I squatted without a box or a med ball, and the depth looks pretty good! It felt pretty solid too. I need to work on keeping my torso upright but that will come with time. We then tackled a super nasty metcon that blew up my legs, 10 minutes of suffering. 3 rounds for time - 15 hang squat cleans and 15 burpees. I finished after the 10 minute time cap with a score of 10.34. Came home to huddle by the fire and eat baked lamb chops. Now it's bed time, another good day.