#vongi

[veganpolynesian]

This time next year I will be free ^.^

[loveandbarbells]

August and September update

Because I'm running another blog and have been quite busy I haven't had to upload my progress on here as often as I'd like to (once a month at the least) 

Here goes :)

August

Here is an update on my current eating and workout regimen.  Food: 

I've been using My FitnessPal app which has been GREAT

My day of eating usually goes (with my new schedule): 

B'fast: Sultana bran (if I have time) w/ light milk + tea (or just tea if no time)

Snack: 175g Tuna + rice crackers x 4 - 6 or rice cakes with choc topping or yoghurt topping x 3

Lunch: Salad + 175g Tuna (or 2 if I'm really hungry) + rice or rice crackers (optional)

Snack: Fruit + tea or same as above snack (optional)

Dinner: Salad or stir fry veggies + chicken or tofu + rice (optional)

I'm really loving my teas at the moment so I'm going to keep drinking that as I've gotten into a good habit of it.  Nutritional successes so far: 

I've given up buying coffee's and so my caffeine intake has gone right down. I do indulge in coke zero on random occasions but no more than twice a fortnight at most. 

I've cut down cheat meals to about once a week and will now put it to once a fortnight.

I'm drinking more water. 

Physical lifestyle and routines So I've been upping my physical activity quite a bit because I have a few goals around getting more dance work next year as well as being a fitness model and potentially breaking into the area quite a bit starting next year.

3 x cardio sessions per week (minimum)

Since last week I've added 2 x weights sessions (optional during exam study period which is all of September/October)

Since this week I've added some dance sessions (1 optional) 

Started adding in easy yoga session this week too (optional)

This works out to be about: 

3 - 5 cardio sessions per week 

2 weights sessions per week (optional)

I think for the rest of this month I'm going to keep it at that and then maybe up the weights next month. At the moment I like my regimen so will probably leave it for the next 2 months and then tweak after that but it's possible I will keep this until November after exams. My main goal around everything here is consistency.  I will weigh in at the end of this month and see if there was anymore weight loss! I will also take a starting bodyfat measurement too (as I didn't do this from the start, opps!).

September

Since the start of this month I have been over in Samoa on a holiday as well as doing assignments and scoping out land for a long term project I'm wanting to do there in the distant future (but need to jump on the opportunities and prepare now for it). 

It was great however I was shocked to find how hard it is to eat and drink healthy while in Samoa. The cheapest foods are shockingly high in sugar and fat. Food security in the Pacific is something I am definitely interested in. I don't see what the point is in advertising amazing and wonderful dishes to outsiders if people who live on the inside can't eat well enough for themselves. But I don't know enough about the issue to make a good segment on this at this point so that may come in further posts down the line.  I ate quite a lot of pawpaw while I was there to make up for the lack in other greens that I could get to. Cabbage and lettuce are quite hard to grow over there because they go off quickly however cucumber, watermelon, pumpkin/squash, taro are in abundance. Also mangoes when in season. This was pretty obvious that in the salads even they were generally small in size. Fruit was hard to come by as well. I had this fruit called an Apiu and it was sweet almost like Taputapu (I don't know the english name for it) which is similar to mango when in season.  I swam and did a trek up Mount Vaea while I was in Samoa though I know this wasn't nearly as enough exercise as I should've done. This was evidenced by my coming back to 2 days of DOMS after going for a run at Mission bay with my gf and a combat class on Monday night. I was good enough to go by Thursday and am back on my training here on in.  I haven't made use of my zoodler yet because I have massive deadlines coming up but I'm not too worried by this. While on my break I considered a few more things buy and invest in but alas this will all have to wait for a few weeks while I complete my assessments and notes for upcoming exams (big ones too which I am aiming for decent marks for).  Also there are a few people I suggest to follow if you're a professional and wanting to follow others who are also working towards fitness goals on instagram (that AREN'T WORKING IN THE FITNESS INDUSTRY): @the_masonette and @fitlawyer. The first owns a Masson business with her partner which keeps her busy liaising with stakeholders constantly and making sure deadlines are met. The other is a lawyer in Australia who provides GREAT advice for someone who doesn't want to necessarily skip out on work functions or client lunches etc. and maintain a good training and fitness regime (and physique of course). He uses MyFitness Pal which I've recommended before. These accounts are great to follow because they don't just go over the highs and successes but also their moments where they don't stick to plan which is the crux of the problem of reaching goals - knowing what to do and how to do it when you reach a plateau or veer off track due to life and career happenings. And seeing their examples are good motivation too!  Other than that I will update on how my zoodling is going in my next post, whether I have trialled the FitBit or Polar Activity Tracker and my progress and nutrition over the exam period. Until then, happy and healthy living! V x

P.S. In saying all that, because of the potential damage that could've been done while in Samoa I haven't weighed myself as yet but my jeans seem to still fit really well and even feel less tight before I left lol. No weighing in until after exams. Peace!

Grilled fish steak, salad and potato mash

Evening run with one of my besties

Saleilologa, Savaii, Samoa 

After a long day of... swimming lol

My new babies!!! Love these, I'm a new fan of UnderArmour

Might not look that appetising but tastes amaze: cauliflower hashbrowns, sautéed mushrooms and tomatoes 

Pawpaw #swoon I absolutely love love love this stuff so much

Amazing body scrub the other half baught me and smells devine

Lunchtime salads that are surprisingly filling: lettuce, avocado, cherry tomatoes, steamed kumara and tuna

My first time at bible study and I got served this yuuuum muffin. I didn't fit it into my macros (I spilled over) but I've never had a homemade blueberry muffin with feta cheese in the middle and it tasted really good! Something to remember for some future book club or exec meeting lol 

[veganpolynesian]

Overwhelming experience having a baby

[veganpolynesian]

This love

The songs don't hurt as much now The places don't trigger as much pain The memories are being rewritten The silence feels good again

[veganpolynesian]

Still can't listen to some love songs because of you

[loveandbarbells]

Starting into week 7 of weightloss and body project.  Today was a good day :) 

[veganpolynesian]

My solitude is only just becoming bearable again.

- The heartbroken

[veganpolynesian]

Got over the last hump. I can delete the past. I've done it before. I'll do it again.

There's no pot of gold. There's no prize. There's nothing to win in the end.