Childcare or Not?

My little treasure Sara has been attending Occasional Care in a local suburb with some children that she knows. Its a half day once a week and she loves it. The staff adore her and she is a well behaved little girl for them at all times.

Today I took her to the local Childcare Center for a half day trial. This is where she will be going twice a week when I return to work, in 7 weeks time... (dread yuck blah).... I am blown away by the difference in standards and equipment, toys, books and routine.

I stayed and observed the staff and the room today for three hours while Sara played.

Afterwards I had to send the following email to the Manager Jenny:

Hmm... Do you think I was perhaps a bit too straight forward with her?

But then again, I don't want to have to suffer the consequences of a child that's been handled roughly or a child that's constantly getting sick from being in childcare either!

If this is going to be acceptable behaviour to her then Sara will not be attending this centre at all.

What are your thoughts on and experiences with Childcare?

Today I'm grateful for..

My daughter Sara!

She is the single most entertaining and charismatic little girl of her age that I have met.

Why am I so confident in saying this?

We went to a 30th birthday yesterday of a very close family friend and his new fiance. They were having a combined celebration at his parents house as they are out from London for a few weeks.

Sara was the only little person at the party yesterday and as she is such social butterfly this posed no issue at all. She wandered from group to group making new adult friends at every turn.

She danced and jumped and squealed with glee. She picked flowers from the garden and handed them out to her favorites!

By the end of the 6 hour party she had two new best friends... Kim & Joe.

But this didn't stop her kissing almost every single guest at the party goodbye as we left to take her home to bed!

I love you very much my little munchkin, we are very blessed to have you in our lives !

Fitness Friday - My Favorite Products

Todays blog is about my favorite Health & Fitness Products.

I shop for all my supplements at GNC LiveWell, its possibly the best supplement store in Australia and across the world.

"GNC LiveWell is the world's largest retailer specializing in vitamins, herbs, weight management and sports nutrition. Established in Pittsburgh, USA by David Shakarian in 1935, GNC now has over 6000 stores in 49 countries. In Australia, GNC opened its first store in 2000 and now have 39 stores in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the ACT" *

My products of the day are: 

GNC Protein Powder: Myocell-SR GNC Chocolate 908g

GNC Weight Loss/Dietary Supplement: Optibolic - GNC Optidrene 180C

I use both of these products daily. The GNC Protein Powder Myocell-SR is the best tasting Chocolate Protein Powder that I have found after many years of using similar products; the GNC Dietary Supplement Optidrene is the most effective metabolic enhancer that I have tried and believe me I have tried hundreds!

Micellar Casein which is found in the Myocell-SR is great if you're trying a low calorie diet as it helps maintain satiety (feelings of fullness) for longer periods of time than whey or soy protein.

Optidrene is mainy used to retain or increase your lean muscle mass whilst increasing your energy outputs during exercise.

* All information is respectfully taken from the GNC LiveWell Website

Fitness Freak..

I used to be the biggest fitness freak out of any of my friends or people that I'd meet out. I would obsessively run 5-7km each morning, then head to the gym for an hour before heading home to shower and off to work for the day. I'd kick started my morning and I felt on top of the world. 

After work I'd head straight home and change immediately into my gym gear and head back to the gym! I'd either do a class or a weights session with a trainer, or both! 

I was single, footloose and fancy free and had nothing else to do with my time after work so I dedicated my nights to working out and getting fit. 

 

I was so involved in the world of fitness, I began to attend an annual conference called FILEX. Its insane! Over ten thousand fitness freaks just like me attending classes and doing short information sessions on nutrition, sports science and much more. It's aims is to provide a comprehensive range of fitness and health products available in the fitness and health industry to all the attendees! I would organise my 3 day weekend so that it was mainly full of actual classes, sometimes doing up to 4 sessions a day! I WAS MAD ABOUT FITNESS! 

I was so passionate about the Health & Fitness industry I decided to become a Personal Trainer, (PT). A friend of mine and his wife were opening up a gym and he had gotten wind of my qualifications and although I was very new to working in the industry, he offered me a job working as a PT in the gym. 

I was up at 5am to start by 6am. My clients were scattered sporadically throughout the day but mainly between 6-9am and 5-9pm. My life had changed. I no longer had the time to dedicate to my fitness. I wasn't getting the direction or encouragement I needed as a newbie in the industry and I began to HATE it! After 6 months I resigned and went back to my old job! I got MY life back! 

Then I met Rob.... (who is now my best friend and husband).

A total NON fitness orientated person I could not have dreamed that I would fall in love with someone so completely my polar opposite! For example:

• I love the outdoors - he love the indoors
• I love hot summer days and sandy beaches - he loves cold winter nights and the ski fields
• I love to exercise - he loves to watch TV

The list goes on, but I won’t bore you...

My days and nights had changed. I moved in with Rob and I no longer ran in the morning, opting to snuggle in bed that little bit longer before heading to work. I'd excitedly race home to cook a lovely meal and open a bottle of wine for us for dinner.

Rob and I have since had a baby, well she is a toddler now and almost 2. We took her to Hawaii last year when she was 15 months old and that's where I think I found my long lost friend - my fitness Mojo! 

I would do a few laps around the Lagoon at The Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort and then walk along the boardwalk everyday before breakfast, pushing Sara in her stroller. I lost about 3kg's and I felt amazing! 

It was hard coming home to Melbourne's winter and keeping up the fantastic routine I had developed. I managed for a while on the treadmill but its so boring and monotonous that I slowly let the habit slide.

Last week I decided enough was enough. My favorite three pairs of size 27 jeans were just too tight and I was refusing to give in and wear the bigger sizes I have in my wardrobe. I got up and put on my gym gear, hat and sunscreen. Loaded Sara into her stroller with a drink and a packet of sultana's, (as a distraction), while I pounded the pavement, up and down the hills of my suburb for 4km... It took me 45 minutes. 

I was so bloody exhausted! I hadn't realised just how unfit I'd become! 

I have done this 4 times this week and have already noticed that my fitness is increasing. The hardest hill on the way home isn't as hard and I wasn't as puffed today. Oh and as a side note, my size 27 jeans slipped on with ease this morning! 

TIP: Set a realistic goal, keep at it and the results might just surprise you! 

As I am still so very keen on fitness, I thought I'd include a special Fitness Tip section in my blog. An exercise or simple fitness routine that I have found to be successful for me, that might work for you too?

Look out for:

• Getting In Shape With Little Or No Equipment,
• My Favourite Products

Resources:

FILEX
Fitness Network
GNC LiveWell Australia