One Foot in Front of the Other

 These last couple of weeks have mainly been focused on one foot in front of the other. To keep going in slow positive progression. 

My training has all but stalled at the moment. But I did get my Sunday kicks in, which felt great, as well as awful at the same time. Numbers were awful, as I am focusing on technique and proper stances. This needs to happen first to get the speed and numbers back. I am trying not to be frustrated, as it feels more than 2 steps back, it feels like back to the drawing board. I know it will come, but my head needs to be in the game. 

Currently life consists of work, hospital, home, late snack and bed. I know it will not always be like this, and I am very grateful for the time I am being given. 

This is a bump in my journey at the moment, but I will find the road again soon. I will need to train harder to catch up. My body has also been saying 'what the heck is going on'? For the last 6 months training has been amped up, push harder, push longer, and then almost nothing. My muscles are achy, my joints sore, and not from working too hard, but from the lack of. Funny how that works. I have managed a few reps of forms, but not near where I want, or need to be. I even missed all of my classes last week, and other than fracturing my ankle that has never happened. 

My plan this week is to at very least attend all classes. I know this can change, but that is my hope for the week. I also will push harder to get some forms reps in, with the Tiger Challenge this Saturday, this needs to happen! I hope to see you all on the screen this week!

Gift of Knowledge

We were very fortunate to have a 'trial' run for our black belt test on our timed kicks and punches. 

This was fantastic, and I received great feedback and suggestions. I will be taking this forward to work on my intent, and technique; which will eventually bring more speed. 

I am so very thankful for the leadership we have, and the willingness of these leaders to invest their time and knowledge to all of us. This school is so much more than the martial are of kung fu alone. It is a lifestyle with so many opportunities to learn and grow. 

Not too much to report this week, taking what I have been given and applying it to all of my training. 

See you on the screen!

A Busy Life for a Busy Wife

 I only used that title because it rhymed. Being a wife is probably the easiest and most seamless thing about my life at the moment. I am so very lucky and grateful for the wonderful, supportive husband and family that I have. My husband takes on a lot of the house duties, like the laundry, and a good portion of the cooking (or we wouldn't eat until 9pm most nights). And my son never shy's away from an ask. 

Work is still crazy, I try to put 15 hours into 10 or 11, and still feel like I'm barely holding my head above water. It's a plan in action, and constant moving wheel. As is life. 

The doctor set up a call for tomorrow for my mom. We are going on about 8 weeks now with her not eating much of anything, and I believe it will be time to make some tough decisions. We will see. 

My training right now is okay. I am pretty much sticking with doing my requirements, and not much time for much else at the moment. Although yesterday for Mother's day, I treated myself to some extra forms time, and really enjoyed the sweat. Not much going on for the day, as Kody is isolating, so plans were cancelled for now, and home we stayed. We are awaiting his Covid results from his test this morning.

I am very much hoping that life will at least slow down to a breathable level in the near future, so as to not burn out. I feel some days like I am on an out of control train, and the conductor has gone on holidays. I have a couple of days off at the end of this month, and it honestly cannot come fast enough. 

I know I will look back this, and be thankful. Thankful for the opportunities I have, and have been given. Thankful for the time I have. And thankful for getting through it. I just need to remind myself of this each day. 

See you on the screen!

25 Day No Added Sugar Challenge

 25 days of April, no added sugar. Well, almost. The No Added Sugar Challenge of 2021, from April 6th, through to the 30th. 

I would consider this a successful challenge for myself. Although there were cheats here and there, this challenge provided an awareness to my eating habits, that was dolefully neglected. That is on me. Complacent, lack of awareness, lack of knowledge, lack of understanding. I will say all of these had a part. Stress may be another factor, but again, that is also on me, and my choices. 

I decided to take part in this challenge, at first thinking I don't eat that much sugar anyway, so easy breezy right? Well not so much, especially in the first couple of weeks. Day 1 I started to look at Everything I consumed, and traced and tracked how much sugar was in all of it. The results surprised me - quite a bit.  Not realizing that sugar is in Everything, really everything - that is prepared anyway. I also realized how much prepared food I do consume. In today's world of the hustle bustle, gotta be here, gotta get there, there is very little time. Time to prepare, to investigate, to experiment. 

So I managed to cut down the prepared foods, make more meals at home, with leftovers for lunch, and was able to cut down the sugar - a lot. I cut out my coffee creamer, and my sweet tooth snacks. As I said, there was a few days of cheating in there, but nothing too substantial. I managed to eat less than 10 grams of sugar in a day (this was all sugar in food or drink already) for most of this challenge. I lost some weight, and I gained a much healthier eating attitude. 

I plan to continue on this path. Even grocery shopping today, our cart was not filled with the regular sugary treats, and snacks. The honey and cream in my coffee has even grown on me. No more coffee creamer. I think that alone was half of the sugar intake in a day. I will still treat myself once in a while, but it will no longer be 3 or 4 times a week. I will keep it at 1 or 2. I know there will be one off weeks, but I won't let this to become a habit again. 

I feel good, I feel healthier, and I feel a great accomplishment. This continued path will be a life changer, and I am most looking forward to it. 

Thank you Miss Ward for the challenge, for the lifestyle change, and for inviting us all to take part. I am grateful!