Just a little update

I know that this post is well over due and for that I apologise. I was hoping that when I completed university last semester I would have more time for blogging but sadly that has not been the case at all. Life has been super busy and I am a little worried about how hectic things will be when I return to uni for my next semester. Part of me is excited to get back into studying again as I truly do love learning, especially about health science however another part of me is feeling a little lazy about going back to studying. I am confident however that I will be able to keep a happy and balanced lifestyle again this year, as I was able to do last year. I was so proud of my results for my last semester of study and even prouder that I was able to stay so healthy and happy while achieving those results, unlike at times in the past when I was unable to do this.

Outside of study and work, things are still great for me. Things are as wonderful as ever between my gorgeous boyfriend Nathan and myself and I am still feeling fantastic on my Herbalife Nutrition program. I feel as though my relationship with food is still wonderful and I am able to just enjoy everyday the way all people should be able to, with no added anxiety, fear or stress. Life is simply good! I exercise most days, either at the gym or by going for a walk with a friend and I love feeling so fit and healthy. Something I have found since being on my Herbalife nutrition program is that my immune system is incredible. I cant remember the last time I was sick and even when those around me get colds or illnesses, I never seem to get them. I guess this just goes to show how healthy my body really is now, as it manages to fight off any viruses before I actually start experiencing any symptoms.

My weight is stable and I do not feel as though I have to try really hard to keep it that way. I just listen to my body and it tells me if I need to eat more to make up for any extra physical activity I may do. I know approximately how many calories I eat each day (lets be honest, its difficult not to know how much we eat in terms of calories as post anorexics) but eating more or less doesn't scare me. Of course I try not to eat less then my usual amount most days but occasionally due to lack of appetite or hectic work hours I will eat slightly less. Just as I sometimes eat more if I have a weekend away or am extra Hungary. Neither of which scare me anymore which feels great. I know that this wont affect my weight and that this is just how normal people live!

Nathan and me (far left) with our gang at the Adelaide Herbalife Spectacular Party

Nathan and I (taken out with friends in Hobart) 

Since starting Herbalife and making a full recovery from anorexia, I feel the healthiest and happiest I ever have in my life!

End of semester

Over the past month or so I havent had much of a chance to write any posts but now my exams are finally over and I have more time on my hands again which is great! Although I havent gotten any results back yet I am confident that they will be fine! I worked really hard and I prepared myself for them as best as I possibly could have so no matter what happens,  I can be proud of that.

Although I did get anxious and stressed at times, I think I coped with my exams relatively well. It really helped having my wonderful boyfriend there for support and also keeping a healthy balance by getting some exercise everyday helped me too. At times though I know I got stressed and wasnt great company for my boyfriend to be around, but I am thankful he didnt take it personally and was surprised by just how understanding he was.

Now My exams are over, I am looking forward to doing some extra shifts at work (so i can hopefully save a bit of money as I am very broke at the moment). I am also excited to now have more time to dedicate to growing my herbalife business. Herbalife is something I am so incredibly passionate about and of I can build a career for myself through helping others feel fantastic 24 hours a day, 7 days oer week, then that will be a dream come true.

I am in the midst of starting up a fit club which is super exciting and I cant wait to see what else the future holds! The weather is finally starting to warm up now that summer is approaching as well which is another added bonus! This summer is going to be the first summer in a long time that I have had a really good relationship with food as well as good self confidence so I am really looking forward to it!

Im just about to make myself a herbalife cookies and cream frappe for dessert and then I will probably just snuggle into bed and watch some telly for the rest of the night. It feels so good to do this now after not having had the time for so long! I hope everyone is really well. Please let me know if you have any specific post topic requests or any questions you would like answered.

Birthday weekend and booty lifestyle 4 week Challenge

Hi everyone :) I hope that like me you had a fantastic weekend and are now feeling pumped and ready to start a brand new week! Since it was such a busy week last week at uni with tests and assignments, it was so nice just to have a celebratory weekend where I could just let loose with friends and have fun. I asked one of my good friends from Hobart to come up to Launceston for the weekend so that we could go out with some of my other friends for a birthday dinner on Saturday night. It didnt really feel like my birthday dinner as it was almost a week after my actual birthday but we still had a great time. 

On Saturday morning my boyfriend, my cousin and my friend from hobart all went to the christmas hills raspberry farm for brunch and it was delicious. I had full intentions of treating myself to something sweet like pancakes however when we arrived, I started craving something savoury so I ended up getting a fetta and leak tart with pumpkin salad and it was truly delicious. I also had a raspberry herbal tea and indulged in some chocolate coated raspberries for dessert. 

We then dropped my boyfriend back off at our place and us three girls headed into town to do some shopping. I as hoping to find something new to wear and eneded up getting a simple little jumpsuit which I planned to wear with some white heals. I then picked up two more friends and we all headed back to my place to have a few drinks and to socialise, before heading out for dinner. We arrived at the restaurant at about 7:45 where we met two more friends so there were 9 of us in total. I had never been to the restaurant we went to before but the food was incredible and it wasnt that expensive either. 

I had a dish called frenched chicken which was like a stuffed chicken that came served on a bed of sweet potato mash with steamed greens and a delicious sauce. It was one of the most delicious meals I have eaten for as long as I can rememeber and I scraped the plate clean. Luckily I still had just enough room for dessert so I had a banana split which came served with incredible caramel icecream as well as chocolate pieces and caramel popcorn. 

After dinner, we went out to a couple of bars where we danced and drank a little too, before heading home at about 1am. It was a great night and I had so much fun with all my closest friends! The following day I met two of the girls who had celebrated with me the night before and we went for a walk around the Cataract Gorge. It was really nice to get out in the fresh air and was a great way to end a wonderful weekend. I also spent some time doing a little study and preparing for the upcoming week at university.

Today I am starting a 4 week Herbalife Booty Lifestyle Wellness Challenge which I am quite excited about. Not only is the nutrition side of Herbalife incredible, but the community is amazing too. We all work together to motivate and inspire one another ti achieve our goals, no matter what they may be. For me, my goals are to continue improving my mindset, to nurture my body with the food, nutrition and exercise it deserves and to get stronger and gain muscle. 

I had to take some before pictures so that I can see the  physical progress I make over the next four weeks and when I compared them to the 'before picture' I took when I started my Herbalife program (almost 2 months ago) I was really surprised to see the transformation in my body. As well as gaining a kilogram I have become noticeaby stronger in my legs and arms and I am even starting to get a booty which I love! I am happy to post the progress pictures over the last two months if you like, just let me know!

I better leave this post here and go and get some study done. I have already been to the gym today so am feeling totally energetic and ready for the long day at uni I have ahea. I am also trying to take photos if everything I eat today so that I can do a photo food diary for the day xo stay tuned for that!:)

A busy few weeks

Over the last couple of weeks I have not had the time to write any blog posts as I have been so incredibely busy. Last week I had two days of work at McDonalds and the remainder of the week I spent studying for mid semester tests I had this week. It was actually mid semester break so I luckily didnt have any scheduled classes for the week however I still got lots of productive study done as was therefore well prepared for my tests.

Unlike this time 2 years ago when I was at university, I am now able to do other  things as well as study without expeeiencing overwhelming guilt, remain happy and stay relatively anxiety free. For instance all last week I studied when I could, but also went to a daily gym class and spent time with my boyfriend in the evenings, when he finished work. I now understand that taking breaks from study is bot something to feel guilty about, infact finding a healtgy balance between study, work and the rest of your life is essential.

I also didnt spend that much time studying over last weekend as my family came to Launceston Saturday so I caught up with them for my birthday as well as fathers day. Also as Sunday was Fathers day, we went out for lunch with Nathans family. I still got a few really productive hours of study done each day over the weekend though and since I had already gotten a lot of productive study done the week before, I was feeling well lrepared for my tests and anxiety free.

It was my 22nd birthday on Monday however I was so busy it didnt really feel like ny birthday. I went to ny usyal early norni g Pupmp class and then just revised before I did my first mid semester exam at midday. The exam went really well and despite the fact I had not spent every second leading up to the exam studying, I was well prepared and feeling good. This just proved to me how important it is to keep a balanced life ALWAYS and that getting PRODUCTIVE study done is the key to success at university. I had a couple of hours to spare before I needed to be back at uni for a tutorial so I spent it working on an assignment that was due on the Friday of this week (today).

As soon as my tutorial finished, I made the hour and a half drive to Ringarooma to my boyfriends parents house. My boyfriend spoilt me with lots of birthday presents including new Asics shoes, a nutritional pro to make my morning shakes in, a gorgeous silver bracelet, chocolates and a bottle of bacardi which is the type of alcohol I drink (not that I drink very often). He also got me a card and wrote a beautiful letter inside, which almost made me cry it was so sweet.

Nathan didnt want me driving all the way to his house on my birthday however I didnt want him driving all the way to me as he had done so much driving over the days leading up to that, including that morning when he drove from my place to work.I didnt mind driving as long as I got to spend the night with Nathan and his mum cooked my favourite Tea for me, roast chicken with vegetables and pavlova and cream with berries for dessert!

I made my way back to Launceston early on Tuesday morning as I had to work for 3 hours at McDonalds and wanted to get a couple of hours study done before hand. After work, I decided to go to a gym class as there really wasnt much more study I could do before my second mid semester exam the following day. I had already prepared myself so well for the test it was really only a matter of reading through all of the notes I had already made. After the gym class I had Tea and then just revised for another hour or so before getting an early night.

I woke up at 6am the following mornjng and studied until 9, before making my way to the university to sit my mid year exam. Like my other exam, it went well and I felt as though I was as prepared as I possible could have been, despite the fact that I hadnt spent every second leading up to the exam studying. I had managed to stay happy and healthy while studying for my exams and still felt really well prepared which is a huge accomplishment for me, given my history of perfectionism and intensive studying which lead to me being completely miserable last time I was at uni.

After my exam Wednesday Inwas feeling really tired so instead of going to the gym like I had planned to, I just rested instead and worked on my assignment. I got another early night Wednesday night and felt incredible when I woke up on Thursday morning so I went to my usual early morning Attack gym class which was a great class as I had so much energy. After that I headed back to my place to my place and had breakfast before watching a lecture. After lunch I started doing some of the housework I had neglected to do in my study week and also did ny grocery shopping and put the finishing touches on my assignment which is now ready to submit.  I Spent the evening with Nathan which was nice and now its Friday morning!

I have quite a big weekend coming up and this is already a long post so I think I will update you all on that early next week. I also aim to erite some recovery advice posts next week as I know I havent done this for a while now. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Xx

My dad, sister and I on Saturday

A busy couple of days + food diary

The last two days I have been very busy, trying to juggle uni, work and also looking after myself. Something I have learnt is that my health is ALWAYS what I need to put first. Afterall, if I dont do this then I am not able to do well in any other aspects of my life anyway. I have had quite a bad cold the last few days too so tgis has made looking after nyself even more important. As I know that I dont only have to provide myself with enough energy so that I can get through each day as well as allow my body to fight my cold.

I had to work for 4.5 hours yesterday and 5 hours today at mcdonalds  so that has made it hard for me to get any studying done but luckily I had a really productive day at uni on Tuesday so I got heaps done then! I also have a full day to spend at uni too so that I can get through this weeks lecture and tutorial recordings. If need be I can also spend some time this weekend getting on top of everything before the new week begins. I cant believe we are almost in week 5! I am still really enjoying uni though and love the sunjects I am doing too.

Due to being unwell, I have not been working out at the gym as I usually do. I just dont have that type of energy and dont want to push my body to hard, when it is already fighting to make me well again. Also, because my chest is very congested, breathing is not the easiest and I have also been coughing a lot too. Yesterday I did get up early to go to a yoga class at the gym though which I really enjoyed. Today, I also missed the gym and just went for a nice walk instead. It did me so much much good to get out in the fresh air and I found that it was just what I needed.

Despite having a cold, I am still feeling so good using my herbalife products and eating more nutritiously. I feel as though they are really helping me to fight my cold too. I have been drinking my herbalife original lemon tea which has been soothing my throat and making my head feel clearer. I have also tried two new flavours of nutritional shake too, Berry and Cookies and Cream. And they are all just as delicious as the french vanilla flavour! I have also started drinking mango flavoured 'Aloe' which I am enjoying too. It is supposed to support digestion and I find it really helps with my energy levels too.

Finally, I thought I would share with you all what I ate today. I planned to do a photo food diary however I only managed to take a photo of my morning shake and then forgot to do any others. So I will just write it out for you all.

Breakfast: 1 Banana Berry Herbalife shake made with 2 scoops of Berry nutritional powder, 1 banana, 4 strawberries and 1 cup of light soy milk

Morning tea: 2 portions of honey Oats prepared with half soy milk and half water, 1 scoop of protein powder and a dash of cinnamon

Lunch: A grilled chicken salad made with chicken , cherry tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, boiled egg and 4 crispbread biscuits topped with 2 slices of cheese

Afternoon tea: 1 nice and natural nut trail bar and 1 apple

Tea: Beef ragu pappardelle with vegetables (sweet potato, carrot, peas and broccoli)

Dessert: 1 small almond and chocolate protein bar and 1 pot of blueberry yoghurt

Study Stress

As I begin university next week, I am starting to think about how I am going to cope with the stress of studying. Throughout high school and college I put enormous amounts of pressure on myself to do well and got very stressed and anxious, especially around exam time. 

Last time I went to uni, I did well however I was not happy as I simply had no life outside of studying and put far too much pressure on myself. My dream is to be a nurse however and I know that in order to become a nurse, I have no choice but to go to university. 

I think that I am in a much better head space this time to be attending university and as long as I keep believing I can do it, I will be ok. Afterall, studying is something I am very good at and as long as I keep a healthy balance in my life, I think I will actually really enjoy it!

I have started to take my anti-anxiety medication again as I think they really do help me to keep calm and believe they have the potential to make my uni experience a little easier. I dont think anyone should ever feel any shame in taking these types of medication, in fact I highly reccommend it if you find they make things a little easier.

I also found this interesting article online and plan to use the various strategies mentioned, to keep me happy and healthy. Perhaps you could apply these same strategies to things in your life that make you anxious abd stressed.

Studying is stressful. Whether you’re attending a high-tension medical program or pursuing an online course, devoting your time and energy to learning is a complex process. What’s more, studying can compete with work, family, and other activities for your limited amount of energy. You will inevitably have times when you worry because something major comes up, such as a research paper or a final exam.

Stress is an entirely natural process. It doesn’t mean that you aren’t studying well or that you’re unable to process your course material. There is a positive kind of stress, “eustress,” which can actually serve as motivation to continue working, but that is not the sort of stress that is concerning. Distress, the negative kind of stress, is what causes problems and can affect your academic performance. Fortunately, distresscan be controlled. Although the following tips cannot solve every tense moment, they will help minimize distress throughout your education.

Know the symptoms of stress

• Know the difference between normal and harmful stress. Remember, stress is a normal response, particularly to unpleasant surprises, scary incidents, and similar moments. The problem arises when you experience very frequent acute episodes of stress, or when it becomes a chronic, ongoing thing.
• Learn the toll that stress takes on your body. Frequent acute stress often shows itself with symptoms like recurring headaches, fatigue, insomnia or difficulty resting, and indigestion. Chronic stress often shows itself with grinding teeth, forgetfulness, overeating or excessive drinking, confusion, and other symptoms that may come to seem like the natural state of things. Stress also weakens the immune system, leading to frequent colds and infections. It leads to muscular tension and aches, hyperventilation, and heart arrhythmia.

If these symptoms describe what you have been feeling, admit it to yourself. The first step to handling your stress is recognizing it and admitting you need to deal with it.

First aid: What to do in the moment

You can begin to notice the symptoms of stress at any time. Even if you can handle what is on your plate right now, one small additional trivial thing can send you over the edge. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, use this advice to get an immediate handle on your stress levels.

• Breathe deeply. This will reoxygenate your blood and help you take a few moments to step back from a stressful situation. Lie down or sit up straight and put a hand on your abdomen, just below the navel. Breathe in slowly through your nose until your lungs are full. Hold the breath for a moment before exhaling. Repeating this several times should get you calm enough to look at things more clearly.
• Do something comforting. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Do you feel a headache coming on? Briefly changing scenery by walking to the water fountain or stepping out on the balcony will help you refocus. What’s more, by taking a clear step to make your situation better, however small it may be, you tell your body and brain that things are under control. Eat a healthy snack or drink water or tea rather than strong beverages or junk food.
• Use breaks to optimize productivity. If your specific task is something you can put down for a short while, do so. When you’re stressed out, you often aren’t doing your best work anyway. Even with time-critical tasks such as exams, you will be better served by taking a minute to ease yourself than by working yourself to a grinding halt by trying to push through to the end.

The long term: Understand yourself and take control

Stress usually follows patterns and cycles. By observing yourself and learning those cycles, you gain valuable information you need to train yourself to handle stress better. After you’ve dealt with your immediate situation, use these tips to build your own stress management plan.

• Look for your stress signs and stressors. You will find you have certain physical cues that tell you when you’re getting stressed, even if you don’t feel like you’re stressed. If a tense headache or a tightness in your shoulders are your cues, take those signs as a warning. Whatever you’re doing is stressing you, and you should calm yourself however you can. Watch for patterns to determine what academic subjects or tasks tend to bring on these symptoms.
• Chunk tasks. Huge tasks can be broken down into many smaller parts, which are much easier to tackle individually. A 15-page paper becomes less terrifying when you see it as three pages per day, then five pages of editing per day. You will also feel more accomplished when you complete numerous small tasks, rather than making a tiny bit of progress on a large one.
• Avoid procrastinating. Breaking up tasks won’t do you much good if you keep everything for the last minute. Resolve to spend a certain amount of time on your studies, and stick to that time. During that period, study and work on your class projects, and don’t be afraid to put them down afterwards. Studies show that regular, relaxed study helps you learn and recall more than last-minute cramming.
• Don’t be afraid to say no. You can and should keep up with your nonacademic responsibilities, but you aren’t under an obligation to help everyone who asks. You need time and mental space to study successfully; if this means skipping an event or turning down a request to work extra, you should feel free to do so.
• Take care of your health. Stress is a physical reaction, and by building up your health, you’ll be able to handle it better. Be sure to eat regular nutritious meals with a minimum of junk food, especially when studying. If you don’t get regular exercise, start now. Although it seems counterintuitive, exercise will actually give you more energy. Also, reduce or quit your bad habits, such as smoking or staying up late, as these habits drain your energy and make studying an uphill battle.

http://www.howtostudy.com/manage-your-stress/

A cold and windy day

During the night last night there was rain and and also lots of wind. I couldn't sleep so I spent most of the night laying awake and watching Pretty Little Liars. My younger brother knocked on my door at about 3:30 am as he had been out at a party and needed somewhere to sleep so I let him in and he went to sleep in my spare room. I absolutely hate not being able to sleep when I have to go to work the following day however it doesnt bother me when I dont need to work.

Being a little tired really doesn't matter if I am not working and I can always just have a little sleep during the day if I feel l ike it. I am going to try my hardest to stay awake as long as possible tonight as I know that falling asleep so early is the main reason why I spend so much time awake during the night and early of a morning. I also want to stay awake to watch master chef as it is one of my favourite shows and there are only two or three episodes left.

It was nice to see my little brother this morning when he got up and he seemed happy to have a bit of a chat with me before mum picked him up which was really nice. I took Tess for a walk in the wind which wasn't all that enjoyable but I guess it wasn't too bad. She still had lots of energy to burn so I took her for a walk to the beach and around the waterloo point walking track. I also spent a few hours doing some studying for my traineeship.

I have found that I just dont get enough time to complete my traineeship theory work whilst I am actually at work so I just need to get in and do it in on the weekends if I ever want to get it finished. I actually dont mind doing my traineeship modules at home aas they are heaps wasier then when I was studying at uni or college and therefore I dont put the pressure on myelf to do anywhere near the amount of work I used to do.

Mum and dad are both briefly calling in this afternoon as well which will be nice as they are delivering some fire wood that they cut up for me. I am very lucky that my dad cuts fire wood for me n our farm as it would cost me a fortune if I had to buy it all the time. I really do enjoy spending time with my family at the oment and love seeing them as much ass possible. I just hope things stay on good terms between us all. Afterall life is way too short for us to spend time mad at one another.

I am hoping that the wind dies down a little this aftetrnoon before I take Tess for another walk but I really don't like my chances. I really cant complain though as this is the first windy day we have had in a really long time and the town I live in is known for being really windy. I would be lying if I said I was looking forward to going back tto work tomorrow as I really do enjoy time off to myself however I dont really mind either. Working keeps my mind busy and I do quite enjoy my job at the bank.

I hope everyone has had a fantastic weekend :) x

Day 16: Your thoughts on education

This seems like a really random post topic but I will answer it anyway, as I wouldn't feel as though I was properly completing the challenge if I missed any of the days posts.  Firstly, I have been to both public schools as well as a private school and I would never say that either one is any better then the other. 

Depending upon who you are and what your school is like, I think that everyone has the ability to reach ther goals if they truly want to, no matter what type of school they go to. In sociology, we learnt that children who go to private schools are more likely to go to university however this may have more to do with the careers most of their parents have.

For example private school children are more likely to be from wealthier families and their parents most likley would have attended university and have successfull careers. they would then be more likely to encourage their children to go to university and further their educations.

Alternatively, the parents of public school students may not have successful careers themselves  (Some will but not as many as in private schools) and therefore will not value education as much and may not encourage their children to attend university as strongly.

I get really upset when I think that not everyone has the same opportunities when it comes to education as I believe that everyone has the right to fullfil their dreams, no matter who they are, where they live or how much money the have. In Australia, the government tries to make the education system as fair as possible which I think is truly wonderful.

I dont really know what else to ay about education. I think that since being sick my views on education have really changed. I used to think that my education was all that mattered but now I realise that this is not true. I used to think that I could only have a sucessful or worth while career if I went to university and got a fancy degree but I no longer believe this.

To me, having a successful life has nothing to do with how educated I am, but it instead is to do with my hapiness. I am 100 times happier now that I am not at university and I therefore think that choosing to stop studying was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

I am not saying that you should not further your education if it healthy for you to do so as you deserve to make all of your dreams come true but you need to make sure you are happy and healthy while doing that. so overall, I believe that education is incredibely important but it is not the most important thing in life, your hapiness and health should come first!

Day 19: What is the hardest thing you had to give up because of your disorder?

For me, this would definetely have to be studying. For my whole life studying has been the thing that my life revolved around. I have always done really well academically which I honestly think is mainly due to nothing other then how hard I have always worked. In saying this, I now relise that the way I have always studied was very unhealthy as I put far to much pressure on myself to perform excellently all the time. I honestly think that I was just as obsessive about my school work as I have now become about my weight, calories and food. My obsessive thoughts just moved from one thing to another.

After working hard all through high school and college, I was unable to attend my final term if year 12 as I was in hospital because of my anorexia. I did not sit my final examinations but luckily I was still able to get my college certificate since it I was only unable to sit my exams bedcause of medical reasons. Studying and doing well at school was always what I put first but my anorexia changed that. Suddenly there was something that meant even more to me than getting good grades, and that was losing weight.

I feel as though I have had to give up on so many academic opportunities because of my anorexia and also my anxiety. I turned down an offer from university to study veterinary science (one of the hardest university courses to get into in Australia) because I had only just got out If hospital and id not feel well enough to move off to a new state of Australia by myself. I have also turned down a wonderful scholarship that were worth a lot of money that I recieved whilst I was studying a bachelour of biitechnology and medical research as I was so unhappy due to my anxiety and anorexia.

You can read an old post here about why I felt as though I couldnt keep studying. I still think I made the right choice to stop studying. It was really hard for me to do but I know I couldnt keep living the way I was.