aussie curves - activewear challenge

i am amazed by all the activewear that's available to choose from - and some of it just seems so impractical that i think it's more about the fashion statement then the activity it's meant for.

for me, finding activewear is about the practicality, not necessarily the look. but underneath all that, it doesn't matter what i wear because what i am wearing it for is the most important reason.

in the industry i work in, it's all about health and safety and we are lucky to have so many initiatives available to us to encourage our longevity on this planet.  we have free swimming sessions, quit smoking campaign, women's and men's health initiatives, are encouraged to participate in fun runs etc and it becomes quite contageous when you see other people being involved.

 

as a long term vegetarian, i have always been happy with the food choices i make - and i eat whatever i like except for mushrooms and eggs, cause i hate them both.  but the desire to be physically fit is another choice altogether.  i heard one of our executives addressing a conference and he showed us a picture of his family and talked about how the doctor told him he was in the obese category.  that's a harsh thing to hear, because he certainly didn't look any different to anyone else in the room. on hearing those words, he decided from that moment, that if he didn't do something to address his health, he may not be around for his family.  and those words really resonated with me.  what could i control and do, to make a difference to ensure that i had the best opportunity to spend as much time as possible, with my family and friends.

i didn't intend to do something, i did something. this wasn't about losing weight, but about being a fitter person. i had been a slacker gym member, but on seeing a pamphlet about PT sessions we organised a work group to do 3 sessions a week, a friend gave me a treadmill and i started a couch to 5k program.  this program is so great, because it takes you on a slow journey to fitness.  my big achievement came when i reached the point where i had to run for 20 minutes straight and i was scared, really scared.  my boss at the time, gave me great encouragement and told me to go slow.  it wasn't a race, but as long as i kept going at a slow pace, i would reach my 20 minutes AND I DID. i was so proud of myself.

at an international women's day fun run, i elected to walk for 4 km's but committed to running the last kilometer with my grown up son and this was such an achievement.  i know it's only ONE kilometer, but it was still one more kilometer than i had run before. i still prefer to run on a treadmill as i find it a very supportive way to do it.

after we had done our PT sessions for a number of months, we wanted a change and took up boxing. boxing is really the best workout i have done - apart from ashtanga yoga - as they both require practice in order to develop. boxing is an all over challenge.  sure you might punch a bag, or someone else if they get in the way, but it also has weights, running, core work and requires a bit of mental discipline and you sweat - real bad.

 

 

this decision and commitment to get fitter was one that i am really happy i made.  my fitness has improved and that is keeping me on track to the end goal - being there for my family, friends and for me.

in sharing all of that i'd like to touch on the active wear.  my two things that i have invested in are a great sports bra and running shoes.  as for the rest of it, if i can wear something that doesn't fall down, feels comfy then i am happy.

i have a bra from enell. my sister put me onto it as we both have giant boobs. it does up at the front, it squashes everything down so there is no jiggle and the best thing is that you order it after measuring around your rib cage and also around your bust. you then choose the size that is right for you and off you go. at first it was weird, but it's the bra of choice for me.

What i wear:
swimmers - target
running shorts - from Big W
singlets - from my cupboard
sports pants - K-mart
shoes  - asics
boxing gloves - sting (but don't forget your wraps)

i know i have technically not dedicated my blog to the choices of activewear out there, because for me it isn't what's the most important thing. it's what i am doing while i am in it, that matters and it all starts with one step. and when i get stuck, i remind myself that my mind gives up before my body does and that keeps me going.

going it on my own

holy moly, today i stepped into the world of the super selfie - the selfie that required me to use an apparatus to take a photo of said self - well i can't just go around asking random people if they would take my photo - cause A, it could get awkward and B, someone could run off with my phone and quite frankly i don't care for running if i am in heels.

i have for the past 4 and a bit years been a blogger and i have blogged about all manner of things, but not in a way that i have promoted to the point i have now - instagram, my own facebook page, which i shall leave it to each individual to determine whether it's worthy of a like and i think what i have to offer in the sense of style is worth sharing.

so after reading the blog of icurvy about how to use instagram for style inspiration i thought about her tips for taking the best style photo and decided to take action. i am more than happy to pull some silly poses in front of the camera, but if you need to take these photos yourself, then it's likely that you need to embrace your inner showoff and snap away.

i headed to the city yesterday with the intention of buying a contraption that would assist me to take the perfect fashion selfie.  i really only needed a bluetooth remote - which i appear to have lost already, and a long tripod (which i don't have) but no, i came back with the SUPER SELFIE STICK which I attached to my mini tripod. and, after a bit of fumbling, i had success - kind of....probably just like a teenage boy at his first school dance. but better.

  

and after having a bit of a play, i ventured out in my finery and got down to business.  i took a photo of my new shoes - sans selfie stick

I worked that little remote control, all while hoping the contraption didn't fall over as i clicked away.

                

i could barely crack a smile until i had finished my multi-tasking, but i clicked away

and when my time to shine shine shine had passed, i turned the spotlight onto the selfie stick - my new best friend. same time tomorrow, hey!

 the result hit instgram pretty quickly and i deemed the project a success.

dress made by me
shoes from whittner (on sale)
necklace by robert kennedy fiji
the pink lipstick is cherries in the snow by revlon - as worn to perfection by tigalil.
selfie stick - a girls best friend

DSTSS - onward, with the rest of the book and life in general

i was really inspired by a colleague at work last week who shared a time in his life, where he wasn't able to go home from work till every piece of paper was gone from his in tray, would get home then work till late into the evening and eventually this pace caught up with him. he was sweating the small stuff and the result of this saw him burn out.  he said he had read don't sweat the small stuff - there is a man's version apparently and it helped him - he changed and he shared the book with others, in the hope of inspiring change.  being able to have the self realisation that change needs to happen and is possible can be a very powerful thing.

i could totally relate.  the impact of letting things get bigger then they need to be is so apparent - not only in my life, but in other people's journeys as well and being aware of our actions and choices in our day to day makes such a difference to ourself and those around us.

my blog title about going onward not only with making my way through don't sweat the small stuff, but with life in general really cements to me the importance of making the most of our time on this planet and sharing it with the people we love and by doing things that make us happy - who doesn't love to be around someone that oozes happiness and brings joy - i know i do and the tidal flow from that makes my endorphin's buzz.

the pressure is off at present, in relation to events of the past few months - the relationship change, the lessening impact of the storm and david's ill health, which is now on the steady, giving me an opportunity to work towards having some down time and catch up on some stuff.  the house is still for sale, but i am grateful to have a roof over my head, a great job, my health and activities that i love to do that satisfy my soul.

for the last three weeks, i have done up to 3 hospital visits a day, all while still maintaining my full time job, keeping things going at home and dedicating what little bit of spare time i had to huudaverti - i came after all that stuff.  it's not healthy or possible to maintain that level of intensity, but i guess the adrenalin and the need to keep going enables us to find the energy to do so and it's amazing what a few good night's sleep will do to rejuvenate, once you get the chance.

through david's hospital journey, it became even more apparent as to how our life is not bubble wrapped and at any time an event could occur that could impact you and your loved ones immensely. we saw it all in hospital and none of it was pretty.

don't they say - be the change you want to see in the world...... i know i made change and i am still making change, cause i want to keep on my journey of feeling peace and harmony in my life and being an even better person to be around.

i have been making time to fit in a thai massage each week and today was the one that made me think about what i need to do to perhaps de-stress (change) a little more - my mind doesn't feel stressed, but my body was telling me otherwise and i need to listen to that.

So what do i plan to do - well i will keep going for my weekly massage, i will do things i love to do, i shall think about what i can do to make a a difference - whether it be more listening to my relaxation tape (the one i shall take to the afterlife) more swimming, running, boxing, yoga - the physical stuff is just as important as the mental stuff - and all of that stuff that i plan on doing means i am going to be busy, which means i will probably need to find more ways to relax.....

.......maybe i will need to follow the advice of the photo below which was at my massage place today.  i think i will start with the 20 and see how that goes.

aussie curves challenge - pattern clash

sadly this week, the aussie curves facebook group closed and on reading the comments from many of the group members, there was genuine shock over this decision, as being able to feel supported and comfortable in a plus size space without being judged was a really great thing.

fortunately, i have never been judged or bullied to my face about how i look and if it were to happen, i probably wouldn't give a shit, cause i am so much more than just a body.  and my body isn't representative of who i am (even though it can pull off great outfits). I'm a woman who loves, loves life, cares for other, can hold down a job, can sew, paint, cook, can cope under pressure and with a body that won't confirm to what is expected from images and beliefs that really have no basis for judgement.

so that brings me to this week's aussie curves challenge - the pattern clash.  what's great about the pattern clash is that it's like the plus size woman.  it's not what you expect, it's colourful, it's full of the unexpected and it just darn works.  i love the pattern clash. and when someone says they would never put this with that, but they like it, then you are planting a seed of change.  and that's a good thing.

 

 

even my sister and my mum are in on the act.....

 

 

 

the pattern clash may not be for everyone, but it is an opportunity to step out of your comfort zone and take a fashion risk.  after all, wanting to express yourself in a way that you feel comfortable with is very uplifting, even if it means closing your eyes and grabbing a couple of things out of your closet and chucking them on, then looking in the mirror and shouting GIRL, I CAN WORK THAT!

these outfits are my daily looks and mostly things i have made myself without any thought as to what they will go with and then one day, the planets align and the look just works.

GO FOR IT! embrace the pattern clash.

aussie curves challenge - swimwear

i love the water - but i didn't always love the water.  it scared me, especially the beach but once i learnt to really swim, i couldn't stay away - from any water. i became a swimmer, i would rise early and ride my bike to swimming training; morning, afternoon, summer, winter, i was always there, swimming, swimming, swimming. i certainly went through my fair share of swimmers.  generally speedos, matched with goggles, a bathing cap and a bottle of much needed talc.

one of my great memories were of beach holidays at scott's head, near where we were born in new south wales.  my sister and i had surf mats and would spend hours in the water just catching waves. this was the 70's and i don't recall seeing a body board anywhere.

i still love beach holidays and have camped for the last 2 years at broken head over christmas.  in regards to swimwear, it's been pretty much about having something that felt good, gave the support i needed, while being somewhat fashionable.  it needed to withstand suncreen, sand and water day after day.

this year, was no exception, till my nephews arrived and as they are full of energy and require water supervision, i needed to get some practicality happening.

the kids just wanted to be in the water all the time on their body boards and quite frankly, i wasn't going to stand on the water's edge and supervise, i was going in to join the fun, but after a couple of goes on the body board, i knew i need to upgrade....to a surf mat. wow did the childhood memories start my endorphins flowing and on my next trip to byron, i picked one up.

the beach was no longer about sitting and reading a book, it was about being in the water, with the kids and pretending i was 10 again, not 48, so sensible swimwear was the go, as this was an all day affair.

i did need to upgrade my rashie, as i was getting one from the surfmat, but when you think you are 10, you just keep going till you can't go any more.

for me, buying swimwear is like buying bras - it's necessary, but can be such a pain, but i'd rather not go without either, same goes for sunscreen.

boardies - Big W (blokes ones)
rashies - both from byron bay
actual swimmer - target

thick, thick and thicker

it's now nine nights in hospital for dave and the excitement revved up yesterday when he was allowed to have food, not just any food, but thickened food - thick juice, thick puree and thick water. there really is such a thing - eeew!.  i was prepared to give it a go, after all, i did try dog chocolate once, cause i wanted to ensure it was okay for my dog, but when i dipped my finger into the vegetarian thickened water, i deemed it not good for human consumption - unlike dog chocolate, which at a pinch will do and the thick water magically disappeared into the trash.

kudos to the doctor who decided to start treating dave on something that they felt was a probability - even though all the symptoms of guillian-barre were so off the norm, they went ahead while the test results were coming in. the treatment was working its magic and has got dave to where he is today - mobile, eating, swallowing, a bit stinky in the pits, but thankful that he didn't require a ventilator, that he is on the road to recovery and will probably not have to ever have thickened water again. hallelujah.

tonight dave got the pleasure of having this - honey mustard chicken, peas, carrots and potato with gravy - everything comes with gravy.  i liken it the australian terrain - dirt, mountains, trees and clouds, and i was even caught out trying to sneak in some of the veg options to the devout carnivore.

there is no blue to represent the sky, cause blue is probably how you would feel having to eat this. seriously though, he did enjoy being able to eat something more than thickened water!

as for me, it's been all about taking it in my stride.  keeping my focus on work and multiple daily hospital visits is really exhausting.  i have even wondered whether having a wine entree, wine main and a baileys dessert counts as a balanced dinner. i know it's not, but this being an option has made me think about the simplest dinner i could create after having super long days and really, toast or wine just isn't an option.

i know pasta goes straight to your arse, but if you are in genuine need of a pay it forward meal (for your arse) then this is it.  quick, easy, no more than 10 minutes (after boiling the water) and quicker then Jaimie's 15 minute meals, that's for sure and one that was sanctioned by my pasta loving nephews when we were camping.

so if a crisis hits, go for this, you won't even have time to pack the dishwasher, do a load of hospital washing, relax, facebook or do anything, cause it's that quick.

boil some 5 minute pasta. if you get pasta over 10 minutes, then you are setting yourself up for failure.

in another dish, grate in a tomato, chuck in a big lot of butter (makes it creamy), and a bit of salt and pepper.

when the pasta has cooked, take it out of the pot with some tongs, and put it into the tomato dish (no time for draining). remember, 10 minutes.

if you have basil, rip it up and chuck it in, if you like chilli, have it handy.

stir that pasta gently, so it knows you care and serve it up.  add some chilli, or goats cheese or micro herbs (cause everyone has them handy) and douse with pamy cheese.

this is what i did tonight, and last night and the other night, cause i really needed something that was going to get me through - quicker than quick and better than that water, that i could have snuck home in my bag, to spoon in later.

tomorrow is another day, and probably another 10 minute pasta meal, but that's fine, cause if somebody gets an opportunity to walk, talk or eat, when a week ago it was all a bit scary, then so be it. i can swallow that.

not so happy new year

i guess i am not alone when we reach the end of another year and time is taken to reflect on what was and what will be. i know in previous blogs i have talked about not looking back and staying in the moment, but in order to grow, i think it's important to acknowledge aspects of life both good and bad, accept them, then move forward.

last year was really a tuffy. i started blogging my way through "don't sweat the small stuff" as things at home were pretty much spiraling out of control and it was a way for me to remind myself of some of those lessons i learnt long ago, about keeping perspective, keeping calm in a difficult situation, and understanding how to deal with what i could and couldn't control and being in the moment. i think i have written a lot about the importance of making the best of every moment possible, cause we just don't know what the next card is that we will be dealt.

the biggest change last year came with the decision to end my marriage. It's no secret now, people know and are shocked and surprised and probably saddened, as we are, and the irony is that neither of us can move forward in any way, as we haven't sold this fucking house.  the same house we had grand plans for, before we were forced to sell, the same house that led me to start blogging about not sweating the fucking small stuff and the same fucking house that is still on the market and doesn't look like selling any time soon.  so until that happens, this is what it is. we can't change it, but we can make the most of it and we have both agreed (and probably laugh a bit about it) that we will probably still be living together in this termite ridden, storm damaged fucking house, till we die.

So i wrote all that last Sunday morning before heading out to lunch with dave and my mum. we care for each other, we spent christmas together, it's same same, but different and i really needed to go forward into the new year acknowledging that this change had occurred.

Well, we headed out to lunch and the cray cray train just rolled on in.  when i think about this past week, it's just been another reality check about never taking anything, anyone or any moment for granted, cause life can change in the blink of an eyelid or in our case, when you next need to swallow.

Dave felt unwell on Sunday arvo, he said he had trouble swallowing and his tongue was tingly.  He then started to have speech difficulty and on Monday morning, he went to the emergency with what we thought was probably nothing, but as it turns out it is something.  he has spent 4 nights in intensive care with an eventual diagnosis of Guillian-barre syndrome, a-typical.. it's reversible, but its symptoms pretty much render the patient bedridden for a period of time. it attacks the nerves and the muscles, so he has had no sensation from the quads upwards. He will need an extended hospital and rehab stint.  he aint allowed home until he can manage to chew and swallow food by himself. the prognosis for this is good - people make full recoveries and so far the signs are promising.

it's been a topsy turvy week, and one where i headed back to work putting all the shit behind me of the past few months. it was a great break and then wham bam thank you mam, the universe throws another fucking curve ball.  I am thankful though that i had the opportunity to just let everything go that has happened over the past few months, to give me the energy to deal with this.  Cause, i need to be there to see him get well.

Thank you to everyone who has checked in, visited, hugged me/us.  I am very humbled by the care and concern of our friends and family and i would never in a million years have thought that in a moment, so much could change in such a life changing way.

I can't go into details, but i have seen stuff this week that has just given me more reason to be kinder to everyone.  Car accident victims, a one punch victim, accidental brain injuries, the guy who doesn't want the operation, and Dave, a guy who was going about his business, when the unexpected happened.  

Note to self: be prepared for any possibility, tell those you love that you love them, show kindness to everyone, regardless; know where your nearest hospital is, ensure that your income protection is current, and practice hugging - it takes 20 seconds for the endorphin's to kick in, (according to my source), so don't let go too early, just remember to let go, cause it could be weird.....or not! and be present, be in the moment cause it can all change, within an instant.

A big thank you to my son Ben, who is just the most amazing man and has made this week so much easier.

Baby steps!

aussie curves challenge - airport

airport means one thing - you are probably going somewhere and then you are probably coming back - in which case it only seems fitting to share two outfits.

i have done my fair share of travel round the globe and it's usually jeans and flats to provide the comfort i like for travel.

on my most recent trip to fiji, where i went to visit my sister (how lucky is she to live in such a tropical location), i opted for a resort wear look that i made myself.

the trip was following what was a rather heinous couple of months resulting in major damage from the brisbane storm, so i decided to take a few days off work and head to the tropics.

just getting away on this trip was met with its challenges - passport out of date by one day, being held up in customs and then having my named called over the PA as the flight was about to leave.  topped with having to take off my shoes and run to the other end of the terminal and bursting into tears on arrival at the plane. i have elected to probably NEVER wear a pair of heels to the airport again,   Feel free to  read my blog entry - final boarding call and enjoy all the misadventure, cause it was really one of those moments that couldn't have been scripted if i tried.

but this blog is about the airport outfit.  i elected to wear what i like to call a zoot suit - shorts and matching top.  don't know why i call it a zoot suit, but it sounds rather fun and often that is what airport travel is all about.

i made a red seersucker shorts and top set and teamed it with a little sash belt and some wedges. seersucker is a very old fashioned fabric, and one that is often not found in many fabric stores, but is a favourite for old fashioned table cloths.  given that i had no iron following the storm devastation, i felt it would work fine - go with the crushed look.

TIP: if you want a seersucker outfit, but can't find the fabric, why not upcycle a tablecloth from an oppy or somewhere else you may find one.

this was teamed with beaded earrings made for our recent collection, a black cap and of course my ever present smile.

on arrival in fiji it was hot as expected and i was glad to pose for my nephew to take photos by myself, and also with my sister, who was feeling very poorly.

  

it did rain the whole week, but that didn't stop me from having a great time.

for the trip home, i went for total sensible. boyfriend jeans, flamingo top and some sandals.  arranged an upgrade and cruised home in comfort with a pre-flight cocktail.  even my sister was feeling better and managed to style it up for the trip to the airport to bid me farewell.

i think the perfect outfit is whatever you feel comfortable in, whether you are flying, waiting for someone to arrive, or depart, or just like hanging around airports.

departure

red seersucker shorts and top - made by me, fabric from spotlight
shoes - novo
cap - target
earrings - made by me

arrival
boyfriend jeans - target
flamingo top - made by me, fabric from spotlight
sandals - purchased in rio de janeiro