The Healthy Mind Platter

As someone who has struggled with depression I am well aware of the intricacies of the human mind and the variety of things we can do to help with mental health and wellbeing. Recently, I was introduced to The Healthy Mind Platter a theory created in collaboration by Dr. David Rock, executive director of the NeuroLeadership Institute  and Dr. Daniel Siegel , executive director of the Mindsight Institute and clinical professor at the UCLA School of Medicine.

The Healthy Mind Platter suggests that there are seven daily activities that we must include like ingredients in our daily mental diet. Because we are all different we each require a different serving of these ingredients everyday. Just like you wouldn't eat only pizza every day for days on end, we shouldn't just live on focus time and little sleep. Mental wellness is all about giving your brain lots of opportunities to develop in different ways.

So here are the basics…

The Healthy Mind Platter

The seven essential mental activities necessary for optimum mental health in daily life

Focus Time

When we closely focus on tasks in a goal-oriented way, taking on challenges that make deep connections in the brain.

Play Time

When we allow ourselves to be spontaneous or creative, playfully enjoying novel experiences, which helps make new connections in the brain.

Connecting Time

When we connect with other people, ideally in person, or take time to appreciate our connection to the natural world around us, richly activating the brain’s relational circuitry.

Physical Time

When we move our bodies, aerobically if possible, which strengthens the brain in many ways.

Time In

When we quietly reflect internally, focusing on sensations, images, feelings and thoughts, helping to better integrate the brain.

Down Time

When we are non- focused, without any specific goal, and let our mind wander or simply relax, which helps our brain recharge.

Sleep Time

When we give the brain the rest it needs to consolidate learning and recover from the experiences of the day.

I really felt that this whole concept resonated with me - I don't know if it is because it was related to food and eating my favourite things EVER or because I am fascinated by the human brain but I am definitely a believer! 

I guess it all comes down to...

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! 

Love Chloe x

A humbling moment

In my very first blog I clearly stated that:

...Our goal is to support each other to reach our own personal goals, if we can help others along the way that would be wonderful but at this stage if I can get more out of my Les Mills membership I'll be happy! 

Writing that I had no idea we would reach so many people, in such a short amount of time. This humble blog has now been read over 5000 times! I feel incredibly fortunate to have a friend who has committed to supporting me make better 50/50 decisions but now hope we may have helped other people to do so too. 

Interestingly this is where our blog has been read:

The surprises for me were the US, India and Russia! The world seems so much smaller when you realise our concerns, whether they be weight loss, fitness and well being like ours, or other mundane things are universal concerns!

This humbling moment has come at a critical time, for the first time since beginning this blog I have had a break from exercise. 

Last week I was completely smashed by a cold, this time a week ago I didn't get out of bed until gone noon and then it was only to get more Coldral! This amounted to 4 days of no exercise. I did have to walk Mitch but due to the inability to breathe through my nose I don't think it can be called exercise!

I have put my membership at Les Mills on hold to focus on walking, both for 1/2 marathon prep and for Mitch the furry friends sake. I need to be wary of this decision however, pace is a lot harder by yourself so if any of you have good exercise tunes to keep me stepping out briskly I would love to hear your recommendations.

So getting back into the daily grind my goals for the next week are to follow the Walking Stars 1/2 marathon program and to complete some weight resistance exercises (I have enough to work with!)

Thank you to everyone that takes the time to read this & therefore supports Chloe and I, we do genuinely appreciate it. 

P x

Cheeky motivation...

P x

It's been awhile...

Sorry readers the last few weeks have been a bit of a blur and this blog has suffered! One thing that hasn’t suffered has been my exercise regime. Last week I attended 7 classes including a re-visit to Anti Gravity Yoga with some of my gal pals. I am pleased to report I actually found it more enjoyable and easier this time around- something must be working!

 

This week I took part in a ‘Boot Camp’ class run by a Personal Trainer friend. Although this was challenging I found it really enjoyable and was pleased to see that on the whole I could keep up with the rest of the group- if I had attempted this a few months ago I am sure this would have been a different story. (Let’s see how I go this evening given I did Pump this morning and my muscles are SUPER fatigued!)

 

My exercise for the week:

Monday- Body Pump, Body Attack

Tuesday- Boot Camp

Wednesday- REST

Thursday- Body Pump, Boot Camp

Friday- Body Attack

Saturday- Long walk

Sunday- REST

 

(One of my goals for next week is to get back on track with my walking. I have been TERRIBLE MURIEL! Major shake up required. )

 

I am really looking forward to the end of this week because my manfriend will be returning home after a week away at an intensive litigation skills workshop. Although a week sounds like nothing and I am sure there are seasoned long-distance lovers out there laughing as they read this- I have to say that I am not enjoying this break to my usual routine much! I am so used to my tall, gangly other half loping around the joint doing ‘tall walk’, whistling and singing tunelessly at the top of his voice that I just don’t know what to do with myself! Hurry up and come home kid!

 

Until next time,

 

Chloe x

 

 

One of those days...

As the rain slashes the house I can't help looking at the couch and thinking 'gosh you look soft and snuggly'. Unfortunately if I sit on it rather than braving the weather I will remain soft and snuggly too. Urgh, it is official...I am having one of those days. To motivate myself I read through this:

http://www.wisebread.com/feeling-stuck-100-ways-to-change-your-life

and thought what a jolly good concept. My reward for going outside perhaps? Although my following end goals should be enough motivation...neither will happen without the work now!

Chloe I hope you have nicer weather in CHCH but if not then perhaps the list could be your reward too? 

P x

Alternative exercise...

A week ago I finally moved into my fellow Carebears house in Kingsland. Although where I find a job is going to dictate where I live, I do hope it will be here for a while. Friend comes with a furry friend too & so now I have an additional excuse to walk, something I haven't done for a while & with Chloe & I's 1/2 marathon looming I realise I really ought to get on with some training. 

Cue the heading of this blog. For now, I am taking my exercise out of the gym and walking & if I feel up to it running instead. 

One of my walks last week with Mitch (the furry friend) was around the bays.

It was a lovely crisp winters day & although the initial sunshine was diluted it was far more preferable than the freezing rain that hit 1km from the car. 

Mitch is an odd dog, instead of chasing sticks or attempting to swim as Otto & Bear would do, every time I stopped he would stare at me reproachfully. One could argue I read too much into his look but to me he was saying 'can you really justify stopping?'

So that is my motto for the week, I have such a long way to go with both my fitness and weight loss goals that whenever I tire of either, I'm going to look down at the skinniest dog I know and think 'Can I justify stopping?'

P x

[Various walks, 1.5% goal weight loss (should have unpacked scales sooner!), still a little hungover...or maybe just tired, being a Carebear was tiring ;-p] 

Another year older...

A huge thank you to Pizey for the lovely birthday wishes- I loved your goal setting idea!

My apologies for the delay between posts from me team- last week was so packed full of birthday cheer I didn’t have much time for blogging!

Although I am not a naturally goal oriented person I do love making lists and cataloguing. Now that I am the big 26, AND scarily approaching late-twenties (shudder) I thought that I should semi-formalise some goals for myself for the next 12 months…

1. Eat less processed food
2. Continue blogging as a way of expressing myself and keeping on track
3. Get my license
4. Squat 20kg (10kg each side) in Body Pump
5. Complete the Walking Stars Half Marathon in less than 3 hours
6. Embrace socializing sober
7. Travel internationally with Ed
8. Become a home owner
9. Go to the dentist (long overdue)
10. Bring my own lunch to work as often as I can
11. Stick to my savings plan
12. Go to at least one Body Balance class per week
13. Eat a healthy breakfast everyday
14. Teach myself to touch type
15. Drink at least 2 litres of water everyday
16. Continue with counseling sessions
17. Fit comfortably into my favourite jeans
18. Buy myself a car
19. Keep in touch with friends living abroad
20. Grow my hair
21. Seek further challenge in the work place and learn new skills 
22. Read more widely
23. Start creating, testing and writing recipes for my recipe book
24. Try to sleep 8 hours each night
25. Complete a Body Attack class using only the high impact options
26. Be happy

And now for an onslaught of my latest favourite motivational quotes and images- this is for you Kate Mulholland! I know you LOVE them!

This week I am beginning my walking training for the Walking Stars half marathon- Anyone who wishes to join me for some Hagley park walks or anywhere more exciting please let me know!

Monday-         Body Attack

Tuesday-         Body Pump

                        Walk (40min, fast)

Wednesday-    RPM

                        Body Balance

Thursday-        Body Pump

                                   

            Friday-           Body Attack

            Saturday-        Body Pump

Walk (60 min, moderate)

            Sunday-           REST

                                    Walk (15 min, slow)

Bye for now,

Chloe x

Choose the grind

Yesterday I was dorkily fulfilling my new role of 'mature student' when I realised my sense of déjà vu was being accentuated by my sense of smell. The comforting scent of chlorine brought back memories of sitting next to a former Commonwealth athlete in previous lecture theatres. I was younger and definitely fitter then but in both circumstances, both of my aromatic friends were highly motivated and successful individuals both in and outside the pool. It reminded me that mentors are everywhere and sometimes the best mentors are the extraordinary people we surround ourselves with. We ought not forget that.

If any of you are searching for motivation today, this clip from yesterday's aromatic friend might help...http://youtu.be/hbkZrOU1Zag 

P x

[Stuck to POA, ?, Amused by Tinder]

We will all get 'there'...

Know what you want huh? Seems simple enough. If only everyone was honest and admitted simple is usually anything but. I do want something though, I want to do press ups. It has been 6 months since I tore my wrist ligament & although it is only press ups and tricep dips that have proved impossible to do I feel like an utter twit trying to work the same muscle group in an alternative manner whilst surrounded by 100+ synchronised press up gods/goddesses. 

This morning I had the company of one of those goddesses and as we wandered back to the changing room we both commented how much easier it is to get up before dawn when you're meeting someone else so for those in AKL here is my plan of attack, if you would like to join me I would love the company.

Tuesday       Swim & Walk up Mt Hobson

Wednesday  6.10 Pump City club

Thursday      Swim & Hobson Bay Walk

Friday           6.10 Pump City Club

                    5.30 Balance City Club

Saturday      4.30 BodyVive City Club

Sunday        Cycle out West from new flat

Whatever your challenges are this week, remember 

I have complete faith we will all get 'there' so today celebrate the steps you have taken to be an inch closer and let go of everything else. 

On a final note, my baby brother (he will hate me describing him as that) signed his first permanent employment contract today. A momentous occasion for everyone. Boy, I hope it is the start of a prosperous future for you. Your methodical decision making over the past few years inspires me. You've shown that no one gets 'there' in a day but hard work and perseverance pays off & I'm exceptionally proud that this day has come for you. Enjoy your moment & when you get them I want a business card. 

P x

[Pump & CRX, scales still packed, VERY PROUD]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CHLOE!

I dedicate this blog to my partner in crime, confidant, make-up artist and dear friend on her 26th birthday...don't worry I've tested the water and it seems ok thus far.

I have a confession to make, wanting this blog to be special because it is Chloe's birthday I did, as our generation have been taught to do and turned to Google. I wanted a motivational birthday message but instead stumbled across this blog: http://brookenotonadiet.com/2013/07/24/birthday-goals/. Brooke, the author of the blog alleges to have lost an incredible 77kg. Aka, Chloe I think we have found ourselves a mentor! This mentor had a list, 29 things to do before turning 29. I liked the idea so naturally stole it. 

So Chloe, although there is a little something in the post my present to you today is that I will support you to do the following 27 things before you're 27 through this blog, training with you whenever I can and taking on the challenge too. Bring on fitter, healthier and happier 27 year olds!

1) Do 100 push-ups


2) Take our medication religiously


3) Walk the Walking Stars 1/2 marathon


4) Set up a new home, ensure it is a happy space

5) Complete a Triathalon  http://www.tri.co.nz/


6) Master Salted Caramel macaroons


7) Create something (sew, knit, paint...)


8) Stick to a healthier diet


9) Continue our 50/50 blog


10) Print off photos...what is the point of taking them if we don't display them?!


11) Go camping


12) Swim in the sea every month


13) Inspire someone else to change their exercise habits


14) Complete the Couch to 5km running program


15) Get proper fitting running shoes


16) Take a photography(Pizey)/make up artistry (Chloe) course

17) Make a new friend


18) Learn how to cook a new cuisine


19) Find a job we enjoy. Working to live is reality, we need to enjoy our careers.


20) Have a dry month.


21) Try a XFit class with Lucy F


22) Try paleo for a week.


23) Finish reading the Whitcoulls Top 100 Books list


24) Try surfing


25) Become Attack class addicts


26) Drink more water


27) Buy a bikini...

I am fortunate enough to be staying with a friend who has a pool so I am heading downstairs to swim for the next hour because it is bleak outside so a walk isn't appealing and facing traffic to go to a class doesn't enthral me either.

Chloe I hope you have had a wonderful day, I'm sorry I have been so quiet on the blog front, I will attempt to sit down and write more often.

P x

[Various Pump classes, walks and swims since I last wrote, no improvement (my body is punishing me for eating irregularly since finishing work, wishing I were in CHCH to help Chloe celebrate both tonight and on Saturday.]