Fitness

I have been going to Virgin Active Health Club for over a year now and still enjoy it.  I have a good mix of group exercise classes that I attend, and usually am there 3-4 days per week.  I do kickboxing and spin for cardio, Body Pump for weights, and Pilates and Body Balance for mind/body.  The instructors are all great and quite nice.  I've been particularly enjoying the kickboxing class because the instructor we've had for the past few months actually comes up with her own routines, which are much closer to what I was used to in the States.

I have also just recently started to keep a food and exercise diary.  I found a fantastic free app for my iPhone called MyFitnessPal (they also have a website you can use).  You start out by entering in details about yourself, what kind of weight goal you have and how much you would like to lose each week.  It then calculates how many calories you should eat in a day.  So many foods and brands are already in their database that it is easy to accurately put in what you are eating and drinking. Since it keeps a record of what you have previously listed,  most times it's just a matter of moving things across for each meal.

The MyFitnessPal site is also good because you not only enter in food but also your exercise.  It takes both into consideration when calculating your net calories and how many you have remaining for the day.  In addition, it also gives you a nutritional breakdown summary each day, so you can see if you are meeting your targets there as well.  I have found the data interesting because on days where I have exercise classes I usually have a lot of calories left over, but when I'm not exercising it's either even or a bit over my goal.  Also, having a food diary really keeps you honest, and when you see that a small cookie has the same calories as an apple, it makes you reconsider heading for the cookie jar for an afternoon sugar hit at work.

Up in the Gym

It has been four months now since the Virgin Active Health Club opened up in Melbourne and I have been very good about going 3 - 4 times a week. I pretty much have a set routine now and I am doing a variety of classes: kickboxing, body pump, pilates, and spin. The instructors for the classes I take are all really great and even know my name (one had my name down the second time I did her class- impressive). It definitely helps to head to the gym directly after work, as that was why I was not going that much when a member of a gym closer to home (sheer laziness). I am also seeing results as clothes that were tight or not fitting are now much looser on me. My fitness challenge will be over the holidays when I am in the States, although if I'm desperate I can always do a free trial membership at 24 Hour Fitness like I have done on previous visits home.

Working on my Fitness

No, I have not fallen off a cliff into a deep, dark hole. Instead I have been spending lots of time over the past month at my brand new sparkling gym, the Virgin Active Health Club on Bourke Street. It is good to be exercising again as I quit my old gym over a year ago since I didn't go enough. When I heard that a Virgin gym was going to be opening so close to work I was very excited. I signed up in March, but unfortunately it took them until mid-July to finally open. The wait was worth it though as the place is fantastic. They have five different exercise rooms, a pool, rock climbing wall, a whole floor of machines and weights and even a cafe. My goal is to hit the gym after work 3-4 times a week, which I have been achieving. I am doing a wide variety of classes- yoga, pilates, kickboxing, Body Pump (weights) and spin. So far, so good and I hope to maintain a regular exercise schedule as we head into the spring and summer months.

A Mellow Week

After all the Christmas excitement I have had a fairly relaxing week. My mom has been off work so we have been hanging out. On Thursday I was on a mission to spend my gift cards. Our first stop was Northgate where we hit Macy's, Bath and Body Works, and the Gap. The Gap was having major sales, and I got a pair of pants for $9.99. Next we traveled up to Vintage Oaks in Novato. I exchanged a couple sweaters at Ann Taylor Loft for pants, and got a few more things at Old Navy (I had done some pre-purchasing from there before I arrived in the US). We also went to Costco, which for those of you in Australia is a large warehouse store where you can buy things in bulk.

Yesterday I went with my mom to Pt. Richmond when she got her haircut so I could say hello to Keith (who also used to cut my hair). He was very surprised to see me, so that was fun. I have also signed up for a 10 day trial pass at 24 Hour Fitness so that I can exercise for free. I did a spin and kickboxing class and the spin instructor even remembered me. I plan to motivate myself to attend more classes next week. The kickboxing class is so much better than the one at the YMCA.

I have really enjoyed being able to sleep in (I didn't realize how burnt out I was) and drive around! Thankfully I have had no issues with driving on the other side of the road. I plan to try and catch up with people next week, and also see more of Lynne and Angie, who have been out of town on vacation this week.

New Year's Greetings

While I sweated my way into the new year (it was 43 degrees C/109 degrees F on New Year's Eve), my family and friends in the Bay Area had to deal with torrential downpours and flooding. I hope you made it into 2006 in one piece! A new year allows you to step back, take stock, and start fresh. Resolutions or goals help you to focus on what you want to accomplish, and writing them down is one way to make sure they happen and keep yourself honest. So here are my goals for 2006:

1. Find a Job
The job hunt so far has been unsuccessful. Each school does its own hiring, so when I see postings I apply for the position. There have only been a couple of postings for government school jobs, and I'm hoping that will be changing soon as people return from holidays and start getting ready for the new school year at the end of this month. I have applied to quite a few Catholic schools, but since I am not accredited to teach religious education, I think that has hurt my chances of getting hired. I would really like to have a permanent classroom position for the start of the school year, but if all else fails, I will substitute teach through an agency. This would allow me to get to know some local schools and more than likely result in a permanent job. At least they pay substitutes twice the amount I would get in the States.

2. Finish Decorating my Apartment
There are still some small little things I would like to get. I also need to rescue my belongings, which have been stuck in customs and quarantine in Sydney since the ship docked on November 18th. All my posters, photos, and picture frames are in there, along with my dishes and pots and pans. I know there were big computer issues at the docks a few months ago, but I would have thought they had straightened it all out by now. Time for another call to the removalists who are handling my stuff.

3. Have a Consistent Exercise Schedule
I have been a member of the YMCA Brunswick City Baths since I moved in to my place. They have a great schedule of exercise classes to choose from and are just a short walk down the road. I usually go 3 - 4 times a week, but I would like to get more consistent and make it there 5 - 6 times a week. I already do Body Pump (weights) and RPM (cycling), but I want to add in kickboxing and yoga on a regular basis.

4. Better Communication with Friends
Moving half way around the world can make it difficult to stay in touch with people. You get busy with the day to day events and pretty soon it becomes weeks since you last spoke with someone. I really want to make the effort to stay in contact with my friends and family. This blog lets you know what I am up to, but without e-mail or phone calls, the conversations get lost. I want to do a better job of corresponding, so I promise to respond back in a timely fashion. And don't be afraid to write to me- I love hearing what people are up to. As for my Aussie friends, I should be seeing and talking to you more frequently than I currently do. We are finally living in the same city together (well, most of you are at least), so let's do something fun.

I hope you and your family have a fantastic 2006! Maybe I've inspired you to write your own list of goals for the new year.