Seems I have a pattern...

...and not the polka dot, stripe, gorgeous coloured variety.

My pattern is more the, "I don't stick to anything" and "Always set my self expectation way to high" variety.

Point in case - this very blog. I love this blog but I come and go like the wind - sometimes howling and blogging every week, other times quite still and blogging never!

But (there is always a but), I am tying to change my pattern, perhaps to the gorgeous coloured variety.

You see I am back on the "get my gut better" train (cause back in July I found out I had no good bacteria and an overgrowth of bad) and this time I need to stick to it. Things seem to always hit rock bottom before I do something about it. This time was no different.

Anxiety and depression hit me hard, I went to my physiatrist, she said to me, "You need to get your shit together". I told her how I wasn't too keen on Dr Mac and wanted to go back to Dr Lee to help me with my guts and overall wellbeing. She agreed. Next appointment with Dr Lee is next week.

This will probably be the third occasion that I have started to see Dr Lee to get my shit together - the other times "life" has gotten in the way and I have stopped seeing her. This time it has to be about "life".

I start off things so gung-ho, coming out of the gates like a race horse. Only to run out of steam and end up on the side lines panting, out of breath.

This is my "Always set my self expectation too high"patterns fault. For example, I exercise like Michelle Bridges for a week, exhaust and hurt myself, then am so hard on myself for not being Michelle Bridges that it all ends in disaster. 

But NOT this time. This time is about "life", sticking to it and not setting my self expectations too high.

Do you have any patterns?

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The Nutritionist and I Take 2

My second appointment with my nutritionist, Jaime, has come and gone.

I am still on track with healthy eating - Jaime was actually happy with me! AWESOME, right. Cutting out the carbs at night was much easier than I thought - thank god! As I am a serious carb lover.

My aim to get 10,000 steps a day is still a struggle, however, I have been working out and planning how I can fit it into my day - walk to the station in the morning, team up with a friend at work to walk at lunch, team up with my neighbour to walk at night, walk home from swimming lessons on the weekend.

So apparently it can be done...and I am doing my best to actually do it. I even bought myself a spray jacket so I can walk in the rain. Me. Walking in the rain! Who would have thought - certainly not me.

At my appointment, Jaime re-took my measurements an weight and while I had lost a bit of weight, the measurements were the most pleasing - 2cms off my waist and hips and 3cms off my stomach, which she said equated to 2-3kgs fat loss off those areas.

The tip learnt here was the measuring tape is probably a better tool for measuring health and fitness than the scales.

Got any tips on health and fitness? How are you tracking in 2016?

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Looking after yourself takes time. A lot of time.

Image from here

Last night I dragged my arse of the couch at about 9pm to start my night ritual.

I headed to the bathroom where I flossed my teeth, brushed my teeth, gargled with mouth wash, washed my face, exfoliated my face, toned my face, moisturised my face and Moroccan oiled my hair.

Upon leaving the bathroom, I did the stretches assigned to me by my Osteopath to help my back and dodgy hip.

When I climbed into bed, I did the meditation assigned to me by my psychiatrist.

Now time is pushing 10pm and no doubt I have forgotten to do something as per usual.

Seriously, nearly an hour of night-time ritual and sadly it doesn't show.

Finally I fall asleep.

Little Mr 0 wakes me from slumber at 5.45am because this is a reasonable time to start the day.....and my morning ritual, which is longer and more laborious and involves two young children.

During the day there is the attempt to exercise for 30 minutes, drink two litres of water, eat five small nutritious meals that include the right amount of fats, vegetables and carbs.....and all of a sudden it is time for the night ritual all over again.

EXHAUSTED much!

How long does it take you to look after yourself?