I'm back and here's what I've been up to lately!

Michelle’s 100 Day Challenge

Goal: To feel AMAZING at the end of the 100 day challenge! This will encompass a focus on body, mind, spirit! Body: To be fit, healthy and feel as good as I possibly can! Mind: To feel balanced, positive and clear in thoughts and actions. Spirit: To grow as a person and develop a greater sense of self. In short, I am going to focus on these three areas as I see these as being important.

Rationale: I am inspired by Oprah’s mantra of Living Your Best Life. I feel I have gotten a little off track – the temptations of food and drink; the business of life and the continual quest to find a strong sense of myself. As such, I want to devote the next 100 days to contributing to what I think will help constitute my best life!

Objectives: My objectives will no doubt change as I progress through the course of the challenge... I am happy to adapt what I intend to do, so that I feel that this is a process... it’s not just about the destination... it is this journey that is equally important!

- Body: Exercise 6 days a week – a combination of cardio (intervals and steady pace); weights and strength exercise; swimming and stretching. Healthy eating: Low GI, natural foods. A wide variety of food. No alcohol! (Can I really do that for 100 days?!?!)

- Mind: Regular reading of books, magazines and newspapers; Lumosity online brain training; occasional movies. Continuing to get out and about to explore Dubai, the UAE and beyond.

- Spirit: To be patient; to be kind; to bring joy into the lives of others; to be someone whom I would admire if I was looking at me!

Day One: Saturday March 6th.
The idea of this 100 day challenge came to me quite late in the day! After a week of over-indulgence (eating out each night and drinking too much!), I decided that since the Websters departed this morning, today was the day to get back on track. I have been exercising fairly constantly in 2010, yet seem to keep over-indulging on food and sometimes, too much alcohol. This leaves me feeling underpar – as though this overindulgence is holding me back and contributing to weight, fatigue and a feeling of restlessness. So, as the boys departed early this morning, it was my plan to get back on track. After a healthy breakfast, lunch and snack, I hit the gym. It was whilst cycling and doing hard intervals that the idea of the challenge came to me. Why not give it my all for 100 days? It is a good amount of time and I enjoy the idea of having this finite timeframe. It is quite an exciting timeframe given that in 102 days we depart for Australia!! As I pondered it, I could not help but wonder how incredible I would feel at the end of the 100 days, knowing I had given it my all. From there, it was a matter of thinking through the elements that constitute my Best Life! It is important for me to be balanced and I want to endeavour to make myself person possible!! So, as outlined above, my goals for body, mind and spirit make up what I believe will enable me to feel amazing at the end of the 100 days – June 13th, here we come!!!
Gym: Bike 30 mins – 20 second intervals (Level 8) + 45 second intervals (Level 10) + 5 mins stretching