I've got muscles!/Raising Girls

It has come as a revelation to me to see myself actually developing visible muscles!  I should have realised that it would happen eventually I guess.  But it is one of those things that I thought only happened to other people ;-)

After 6 weeks on my program I can say that I actually have developed some muscle definition in my arms shoulders and chest, that I am totally unfamiliar with.  It helps me to understand how people get hooked on muscle building.  There is quite a thrill in doing so!

I'd love to take a photo of my right bicep and post it here, but that would not be cool (and plus it is a bit technically challenging for me ...) - so the woman to your right, is not me - and I don't quite have this level of definition yet, but I concede that it is possible I might achieve something like this :-)

In other news, I am struggling with injuries.  The right side of my lower body is in rebellion with a very tight hamstring, ITB and TFL and Glute, that no treatment has been able to address thus far, and a neck that is also resisting adjustment.  It is kind of depressing - to be so motivated yet feel like your body is not cooperating.

For a total change of discussion, I found myself worrying about how my daughter sees my new found interest in dieting and exercise.  She is nearly 5 and at school and to give you some perspective on where she is at in terms of 'phases', she wants to be a princess when she grows up.

I went with some friends (hello girls!) to see Steve Biddulph talk about 'Raising Girls' this week and he talked about how our generation is full of women who are unhappy with our bodies and who pass on that insecurity - hand-in-hand with the media, to our little girls, resulting in unhealthy self-esteem and obsessions with looks over substance.  Of course the politically correct thing would be to try to convey to DD (dear daughter) that I am dieting and exercising in order to be fit and healthy and strong - not to fulfil any goal of looking like a princess ... but actually, fit and health is great, but I can not pretend that I don't want to be thinner to have more fun shopping for clothes and to look younger etc etc.  It turns out that I am as big a victim of the media and society as my little girl may be one day.

Setting a good 'Active' example for my kids

I spent a big chunk of today watching my boys at their school swimming carnival. My eldest swims in 10 and under and my youngest swam in 8 and under and 9 and under.  Like a lot of Australian families I have prioritised swimming lessons for them since they were about 3. I would have said that the oldest is not particularly talented and the younger shows a bit more potential but hasn't had any experience at racing, so expectations were low. I wouldn't say that either of them possess an overly competitive nature (except with one another).

They both know that I have gotten into swimming in the last couple of years and I let them know when I have been swimming and where and how many laps I have done and more recently my husband has gotten into swimming as he has been in training for a triathlon.  He has become very excited about his progress with swimming and talks about it at home too.

Today they both surprised me.  They were both entered in two events - freestyle and backstroke.  Both of them got through the freestyle heats and into the finals.  And they both swam really well in the backstroke and were very close to getting through to the final.  The younger one ended up placing 3rd in the freestyle final and I couldn't be more proud.  Both of them also seemed to really enjoy the occasion.  And the younger one has said that he got a kick out of racing.

I don't think that it is any accident that they have had this turnaround given the examples that they have had at home in this past few months and it is really satisfying to know that even the bit of extra effort we have been making, may have rubbed off on them.  It's is a large part of why we do it, isn't it?  Not just so we can keep up with our kids, stay alive for our kids, but to have a positive impact on their choices.