Exciting Changes

So many things have been going on lately that it's been quite tough to keep up, particularly with my blog. Here's a quick update:

Earning my Pink Belt
In addition to my Jiu-Jitsu training, I completed my Women Empowered training - which is the Gracie Academy's official self-defense program for women - and earned my pink belt! Although I've already earned my Blue Belt, doing this program and focusing on self-defense for women was really enlightening and empowering.

me and my pink belt

Women's Self-Defense Class
On April 10th I launched my women's self-defense class. It's an amazing curriculum that's based on the Grace Academy's Women Empowered curriculum - focusing on defenses to the 15 most common attacks on women. I had no idea how many people were going to show up for the first class or how it would go. I am super thrilled to say that it was awesome! We had 13 women on the mats, and everyone left full of enthusiasm and eagerness to continue with the program.

it's not just about learning defenses - it's about having the right mindset as well

our first class

Whole Life Challenge - Participant & Ambassador
Once again I'll be doing the Whole Life Challenge. I still swear by this challenge as it always helps me refocus and work on tweaking my routine in a supportive environment. Knowing that there are thousands of others around the world doing the same challenge, at the same time, as me really helps keep me motivated.

In addition to doing the WLC, I've actually been invited to be an ambassador for the challenge. This gets me more involved in the challenge itself as well as gives me an extra bit of motivation to really stay on track and be a good role model/motivator to my team members as well as everyone else who is out there trying to live a healthier lifestyle!

Want to know more about the challenge? Watch this: https://youtu.be/xbicemIo-Sk
Ready to join my team? Sign up via this link: http://www.whole.lc/wlcmay15/pt/plumpetals

Want to join but you're not 100% sure about paying -- I've got 2 FREE login codes ... write a comment below or send me an email (plumpetalsfit {at} gmail.com) and I'll get in touch with you with your code. The challenge starts on May 2nd, so don't wait too long!

Sweat Pink Ambassador
I received an unexpected email from the Sweat Pink team telling me that I had been chosen to be an ambassador. I'm thrilled to be part of this active community network! Check out more at Fit Approach.

Eating and Training
I've got to be honest here, my eating habits have been slipping a bit. My main meals have still been spot on, but I've snacked and it has not been good. It's another reason I'm really looking forward to having the structure of the Whole Life Challenge. I've started to detox off the caffeine and sugar (my biggest weaknesses) - slowly but surely. At least my water has been on point. I've been drinking 3 - 4 L of water a day - the warmer weather has definitely helped!

my favorite meal this past week: avocado, tomatoes, cilantro, and a poached egg over whole grain toast with a beet, carrot, apple, and ginger fresh juice -- delicious! I'm going to have to try it without the bread to make it WLC-compliant for the challenge

My training lately has involved outdoor cardio and Jiu-Jitsu. I haven't been to the gym for a weights session in a long time. I miss it, but right now this is what I'll be sticking to. We've been doing weapons defense in our Jiu-Jitsu class this month. It's been a blast -- as you can see, us girls have been taking it really seriously ;)

the Jiu-Jitsu version of Charlie's angels ;) 

A New House!
The final bit of news is that D and I closed on our new house this month!! It's the first time either of has ever owned property. We're looking forward to making it a happy, healthy home!

On the Fly

I'm sitting in the Qatar Airways lounge at Heathrow Airport at the moment, waiting for them to announce my flight.

I was actually here last night … but after boarding and sitting on the plane for an hour past our allocated departure time, we were told that the landing gear wasn't working. The proceeded to offload our luggage. Instead of going to the hotel where they wanted to put me up, I asked for a taxi ride home (on the airline's dime of course). Road diversions made for what should have been a 20 minute drive home over an hour. It was after midnight, freezing, and the taxi driver was heading in routes I had never heard of. All I can say is thank goodness for GPS on my phone so I could make sure he was actually taking me towards home and not to the middle of the woods somewhere where I would be murdered (I watch way too much crime TV). I was totally prepared to use my Jiu-Jitsu if it came to that!

So the whole of 2015 has been quite frantic for me.

I started off the year regrouping, organizing myself for the Whole Life Challenge, and preparing for the Instructor Certification Program evaluations that were going to be held in Los Angeles at the end of January.

While I was trying to sort myself out, I was also trying to come to terms with heading to LA instead of Bangkok where my brother was going to be undergoing his first round of chemotherapy. If he hadn't told me to just go and do it, I'm not sure I would have been able to … anyway.

The WLC is going well. It came at just the right time to help me detox from the holidays and get focused for the new year. Even though I've been traveling during the challenge, I've been really, really careful about my eating and have managed to stay on track by preparing food for travel, being picky with what I order when eating out, and just remembering my overall goals.

My trip to LA was an amazing experience. I passed my evaluations and feel really good about how I did. I am so excited to really get into teaching after I return to London. I'm still working on writing a few posts about my trip on my Jiu-Jitsu blog - I've got a few posts up already, but I haven't finished writing about the whole experience.

My teammate Fabrizio and I -- after receiving our certification! 

The ICP Class of 2015 

Although I'm doing really well with my eating and have been doing Jiu-Jitsu regularly, I'm not training the way I used to … and I can feel the impact.

As I was preparing for my LA trip, I made a conscious decision to just focus on Jiu-Jitsu and leave all my other training until after I returned. On the one hand I do think it was a smart decision. I felt good about my physical performance … on the other hand, I can feel the difference in my body from not having done any weight lifting, yoga, or Muay Thai in almost 3 months …

Still, for the next 10 days while I'm in Bangladesh I'll be away from the gym so I'll just have to focus on walking, stretching, and of course watching what I eat.

Instead of panicking, I'm just taking it all in stride … I know it'll all come together after I get back to London.

Right now, I can't wait to get home and see my brother. I feel like I've waited long enough.

Fingers crossed that this plane takes off and gets me to my destination safely!

Gulp! They're looking at Me!

Being self-conscious about the way you look sucks. It was one thing I have had to deal with on a daily basis as a teacher (something I've written about before). My passion for teaching always superseded my discomfort, but it was always there. Getting over this self-doubt was a big motivating factor for losing weight and getting healthy.

Over time, I've gotten better, but I still haven't completely gotten over my self-consciousness. I still worry about what I look like, what others think about the way I look, how they will judge me, what they will think ... there are so many thoughts that swirl around in my head. With that kind of pressure, standing in front of a crowd isn't easy.

As I said, I have gotten better. The doubt is not as strong, and I'm usually able to set the nerves aside and just power through whatever I have to do - whether it's teaching or working out in the gym or participating in a sport.

The thing with teaching at the university is that before stepping in the classroom, I could choose my dress, put on my heels, and basically create a shield around me - armor myself with whatever I needed to not feel (too) self-conscious.

in the classroom 

The good thing with going to the gym is that the activities are usually isolated. You just go about your routine and you don't have to pay attention to what others are doing/saying/looking at. Plus, once again, you wear what you need to feel comfortable.

bright and sporty 

I had to really think (more than) twice before starting Jiu-Jitsu because not only did it involve close contact with others, but it also involved using my body -- I mean really using my body, to twist and turn, to lift people off me, to climb on top of others. I mean it was ALL body.

Just like my passion for teaching helped me push past the self-consciousness and get my job done, my passion for fitness and Jiu-Jitsu helped me push past the negative, doubtful thoughts and get in the gym/on the mats and pursue my interest. I didn't want my mindset to get in the way of any potential progress.

Yesterday I was put to the ultimate test when I taught my first adult's Jiu-Jitsu class. There I was, standing in front of a group of 20 people (all men!!), in my white Gi (which I've always had issues with & it's totally unflattering), teaching one an actual martial arts class -- how did that happen? How did I go from a university lecture hall to a Jiu-Jitsu mat?

I was so nervous leading up to my lesson that I had to have a stern talk with myself -- I can't be nervous about everything!! I have to focus on just one thing and let the other anxieties go.

The main goal was to teach the class -- so I focused on the lesson.
That meant letting go of any general nervousness of speaking in front of others, letting go of any unease of wearing my Gi, letting go of any doubt I had about my abilities, and most of all, letting go of any self-consciousness of my body. It was not easy! Seriously - bending over, falling backwards, and sprawled all over the mats rolling around ... ya, just a tiny bit different from wearing heels and a dress standing in front of a lecture hall!

I was up there for the students to teach a lesson -- and that's what I did. It was a tough lesson to teach -- mainly because there were lots of details to cover in a short period of time. However, it went well. The students were amazing - attentive, supportive, and -- they totally shocked me at the end when they gave me a huge round of applause. I was so touched. It was awesome! It was a great (scary) first experience, but it taught me so much. I'm so thankful to our head instructor Ben for supporting me and being by my side (and being the perfect 'Bad Guy' in the demos). I have lots to work on before getting on the mats again to teach, but I'm looking forward to the challenge :)

Friday Five

I thought I'd get back to my Friday Five posts as a quick recap of the week. Sunday is usually my prep day for the week, but this past Sunday, I was so busy with training and then helping out during the Gracie Game day for the kids that I was exhausted and didn't do nearly enough prep for the week. That kind of threw off my groove for the rest of the week ... but nevertheless, despite not being able to follow my usual schedule the way I wanted too, I had a pretty good week.


1) On Sunday I participated in my first ever Gracie Games Day. It's held for the kids at the Jiu-Jitsu school as a reward for doing a good job with their class attendance, participation, and general behavior outside of class (e.g. good manners, being helpful, etc.). I"m not used to being around kids so it was quite overwhelming for me, but it was also quite a bit of fun!

 a few shots of the kids during game day

2) In general I've been spending  lot of time on the mats. In fact, I head to the Jiu-Jitsu school everyday to either train or assist the head coach. It's good practice for me as I continue to prepare for my Instructor's Certification Program. Plus I'm thoroughly enjoying it!

with one of my training partner's after a session on the mats

3) I attended a Muay Thai seminar held at Watford Martial Arts Center where I do my Muay Thai and my yoga. It was given by fighter John Wayne Parr. The seminar was great -- high level of energy and enthusiasm, lots of techniques fit in ... overall really enjoyable and informative!

my training partner and I with 10x world champion in Muay Thai John Wayne Parr

John Wayne Parr doing a demo with me during the seminar

4) I started a new weight training program -- for the past 8 weeks I was focusing on fewer reps and heavier sets. It was definitely good, but I found that the recovery time took a lot longer than I would have liked. Now I'm back to a more normal routine - 4 sets of 10 reps - hoping to continue to get stronger and build muscle.

low rows - one of my favorites

5) The Whole Life Challenge ends tomorrow. I still want to make sure I stay on track through the holiday season until the end of the year so I've organized a new challenge. If you'd like to join, please connect through the group's Facebook page entitled: It's a Lifestyle. A brief outline of the challenge is listed below and more details are posted here.

It's a Lifestyle -- the Facebook page for the 50 Day Challenge

details of the 50 Day Challenge

The Gracie Diet/Lifestyle

I really don't like the word 'diet.' It's so often linked to words like 'deprivation' and 'restriction.' Although what I'll be trying to follow now is called the Gracie Diet what it is really comprised of is a list of guidelines as to how to group your foods. Of course the focus is on eating clean, but there are additional parameters that focus on food combinations - what foods should be paired with others for optimal energy efficiency and digestion.

Here's a short excerpt from the book:

Realizing that different foods would cause different chemical reactions within the body, Carlos narrowed his focus on food combinations. His idea was to make sure that at each meal, the foods we ate would combine to cause healthy chemical reactions. The objective was to prevent blood acidity and avoid fermentation. This would then facilitate the digestive process, which is the most energy-consuming activity of the human body.

You can read more about it here. Plus there are more details on the Gracie Diet website.

There's a 3 Phase breaking in process.

Phase 1 is to space your meals at least 4 1/2 hours apart. This is to ensure that all the food in your stomach has been completely digested before consuming other foods that may interfere with the digestion process.

This phase was tough for me at first. I was one of those people who HAD to eat every 3-4 hours, and I often grazed between meals on tea and dates/raisins/fruit. In this first phase, however, you are not allowed to snack at all -- not even a cup of coffee or tea. Just water in between meals.

As I said, it was tough for me at first, but soon my body became used to it, and although at about the 3 1/2 hour mark and definitely by the 4 hour mark I do feel quite hungry, I've been pushing through and meeting the minimum 4 1/2 hour spacing between meals. How have I felt as a result? Well, I've definitely felt lighter. I have actually come to like that bit of hunger I feel just before having a meal. It's gone hand in hand with my 100 days of Awareness. Now I've bypassed #5 (wait 20 minutes before eating again) and I'm focusing on #7: chewing my food thoroughly. I've also become more thoughtful of what I'm eating. Since I know that the meal will have to last me for about 5 hours, I ensure that my food will be filling and will provide me with enough energy to do whatever needs to be done in that time frame. I know that stuffing myself and overeating with the thought that I won't be eating for the next few hours will be counterproductive. So, I choose my foods wisely. I chew thoroughly, and I enjoy what I'm eating. Drinking a glass or two of water before my meal and staying hydrated throughout the day helps keep the hunger at bay.

Phase 2 involves cutting out sodas and desserts. I don't drink soda, so the first one wasn't an issue for me. The desserts ... well, that's been interesting. First of all, dessert is counted as a separate meal, which means that if you want to have something sweet at night, it's got to be at least 4 1/2 hours after dinner. Even if it's fruit - unless you choose to have only fruit for your dinner. Second of all, I've cut out sugar from my diet as a result of the Whole Life Challenge. I have, however, been creating 'desserts' out of different ingredients, e.g. lemon cake made with almond flour and sweetened with dates.

Instead of trying to find some sort of 'loophole' and figuring out how to incorporate those natural desserts into my meals, I've decided to eliminate them. It hasn't been easy, but it hasn't been too difficult either.

I think a lot of it has to do with what I said before about my meals. When I've created a meal that I enjoy thoroughly and really savor, then I don't feel unfulfilled and have the desire to eat something else after the meal.

As I said, it hasn't been easy, but I'm trying my best.

Finally, Phase 3. This phase involves factoring the food combinations. You can read about them here. At first it looks complicated, but I'm sure as I keep practicing and experimenting, it'll get easier.

It really doesn't seem like any foods are prohibited. They say to avoid sweets, canned foods in syrup, and a few spices and to never eat pork, but other than that, pretty much everything is permissible as long as it's eaten in the right combination.

I think it'll be an interesting experiment. I've already started trying out the food combinations. I eat so much protein and veg that it has actually been quite easy so far. I don't eat dairy (at the moment) nor am I eating any grains, so I haven't had to worry too much about the other groups.

I'm currently in Phase 2 and have already started incorporating some of the food groupings of Phase 3. I'm not getting too caught up in it at the moment as completing the Whole Life Challenge is my main focus right now.

Here are a few of my latest meals:

Breakfast

Boiled eggs, tomato and cucumber salad, carrot sticks, and half an avocado - very filling!

Lunch

Flaked salmon mixed with broccoli, peas, and slivers of sweet potatoes

Side Dish

This is one of my simplest bust most favorite sides - string beans and mushrooms cooked in a bit of sesame oil, ginger, and garlic. It goes with any type of protein. 

A New Adventure

In the last post, I mentioned a few new adventures. Well, the biggest one is linked to my earning the Blue Belt in Jiu-Jitsu.

If you've been following my blog for any amount of time, you know that I've been enthusiastically practicing Jiu-Jitsu for the past year or so. To say that it has had a positive impact on my life is an understatement. I'm completely fascinated with the art and I am amazed at how the practice has had an impact on many aspects of my life - particularly my confidence. Having a boost in confidence has had an enormous impact on pretty much everything I do. Wanting to be good at it has made me focus on being healthy, of eating well, of resting, of being disciplined ... to some it may sound like a lot of hard work. However, what I've discovered is that when you have a passion, doing all those things that may seem like sacrifices to others just comes naturally to you. It's what makes you happy.

When I approach the mat, it intimidates me. I feel nervous because I don't know how I will perform. I know that in a few minutes I will have somebody heavier on top of me who is trying to put me in a submission hold. This intimidation, however, is what also fuels my excitement. It's like I'm doing an experiment on myself -- I want to know how I'll react. I want to see how calm I can remain under pressure. I want to see if I can execute the moves I've learned in the past to help me in the current situation. The intimidation helps me focus. It's what reminds me that to be good at something means more than just coming to one class and doing the moves. You've got to think about it, analyze it, and accept the challenges so that you can work to overcome them.

Since the move to London, I've been thinking really hard about what I want to do. I've always wanted to be a teacher. I knew when I was 16 and so I went on to pursue that line of work. My most fulfilling moments in life have been when I was able to help one of my students. It's a satisfaction that money can't buy. What's more is that I feel grateful to my students and totally blessed that I have had the opportunity to actually make a difference, no matter how small, in that person's life.

It's this feeling that has been on my mind since I moved to London. All I wanted to do was make a difference - in some shape or form.

... and now I've been given that opportunity.

There are no guarantees at the moment as the application process is lengthy and tough, but I'm studying and working towards completing the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Instructor Certification Program. In order to be eligible to even apply means that you have to earn a score of 90% or higher on your Blue Belt test (which I did), after which there are several other tasks you need to complete (e.g. videos of you doing certain moves, teaching certain classes etc), and it all culminates with a finally couple of days of training at the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu headquarters in Torrance, CA.

Now, as I said, there are no guarantees. I need to perfect all the components of the training before I even get considered to go to CA in January ... plus, since I was accepted into the program kind of at the last minute, I only have half the amount of time (30 days) to get it all done ... but in my heart and in my mind, I want this so bad. As soon as I decided to apply and was accepted apply for the program (you can't just apply, you actually have to apply to apply!!), I haven't stopped smiling. It just feels like this is right for me. It feels like this could actually be the way I can fulfill my dreams of teaching and empowering others. How amazing would it be if I could pass on the very thing that has given me the strength and confidence to change my life? I am humbled by it all really. Even though I haven't been completely accepted or passed, just the fact that somehow I have ended up in this place where I could actually achieve something so significant makes me pause and feel so very blessed.

Wish me luck. It's a long road ahead.

Fulfilling Wishes

It's October 16, 2014.

It's been many days since I've posted. I have been sick for the past 2 weeks and busy in between with many new exciting things.

First of all, this stupid flu/bronchitis is still lingering. I am getting better, but I have yet to have a cough-free day. It is SO annoying! At least I slept well last night - that was refreshing.

The illness has slowed down my activities big time. I barely moved for a couple of days and for the others I did the mildest forms of exercise and stretching. I went to Jiu-Jitsu class for the first time last Friday and went to the gym for the first time in 2 weeks yesterday ... so it's been slow.

Nutritionally, I've been doing well. Being on the Whole Life Challenge has helped me with this a lot (you can read about my progress here).

I did have one day of indulgence on my birthday, but what was interesting was that being off sugar and processed foods, grains, dairy etc. for 5 weeks really changed my taste as well as my cravings. Initially I thought I was going to go crazy eating and indulging, but it ended up being a much more controlled (by choice) day -- and that was actually very satisfying.

I am definitely starting to find my feet in terms of settling down in London. The house is coming together. My training schedule, even though slightly off right now due to my illness, is pretty much set. I've got my menus and meal planning pretty much down. It's looking good.

In addition to that, I achieved my first big goal, which was to earn my Blue Belt in Jiu-Jitsu!!! I trained really hard, so when I got my results of my test (evaluated by video through the Gracie Academy in Torrance, California) I was over the moon!

It was the highlight of my birthday celebrations :)

Another year older and I couldn't have felt younger or happier!

I'm looking forward to another year of adventures! Stay tuned :)

Searching for Resolve

This past week has been really difficult - from dealing with the loss of my aunt to facing a terrifying situation to just generally feeling out of sync. I've had so many thoughts and emotions running through my mind, but one of the main thoughts I woke up with this morning was about Tuesday's Kajukenbo class when I froze in the middle of the surprise attack sequence.

I realized that at that moment when I was attacked, my first thought was - I don't care. Let them attack me.

What a horrifying thought.

I have been doing all this self-defence and fighting mostly because I don't want to feel vulnerable or scared. Most of all, I don't want to be a victim. I do not want to see myself as a victim anymore.

I was mortified that after training for so many months, that was still the first thought that popped into my head. It was the first time I was put in such a situation, but still - why did I slip into being helpless? Why didn't I react?

I know that I reacted to the attack once I was rolled on the ground. The Jiujitsu training I had been doing automatically kicked in and I was able to escape. That in itself was a bit of a relief, but the fear was overwhelming.

I woke up this morning realizing that I didn't want to be the victim. I didn't want FREEZE to be my first reaction. I'm doing my MMA training to learn how to defend myself, to build my confidence in terms of knowing who I am and knowing that I am able to stand on my own two feet.

Maybe I needed that incident to happen at this particular time (when I'm feeling emotionally vulnerable as well) for me to realize what I really want. I know that after training in Vegas, I was really pumped about continuing to train. However, that was more about the physical side - getting the techniques right and becoming strong. Today's realization was more about what it actually means to me. How training in MMA was not to fight, but to be able to defend myself if I needed --- and most of all, to be able to stand in full confidence knowing that I don't need to fight because I already know I'm in control.

This is my goal. This is what I'm training for. This is what I discovered of myself this morning.

Then I saw this video for the first time -- it's amazing. It brought tears to my eyes because it moved me so much. So much of what Rener said rang true to what I was feeling and experiencing.

Please take a few minutes and watch this video - it's incredible. (If the video link doesn't work, check Gracie Bullyproof: Austin's 1 week transformation on YouTube or on my Facebook page Plumpetals Fit).

Las Vegas Update Part 2 - Guard Up!

Las Vegas was all about UFC Fight Week, the fan expo, and UFC 162. If it wasn't for these events I'm not sure whether or not I would have liked Vegas. However, for this trip, I know that UFC Fight Week was awesome & I would definitely consider flying over to do it again!

My workouts in Las Vegas were split between training with professional fighters and hitting the gym.

The free gym at the MGM Grand was a basic cardio room. I got there around 7 a.m. and it was already packed!

I was quite amused to be staring at the Hooters hotel while on the cross-trainer -- that's something you definitely won't see in Kuwait!! 

I discovered a second gym which was much nicer - free weights, more cardio machines, and a variety of general weight machines. I went there for my remaining weights workouts. I can't resist a good squat bench! For $10 a day it wasn't bad at all.

A squat bench and free weights plus lots of cardio options -- awesome!

Now for the real stuff -- training with the professionals!!

My training in Vegas was mostly focused on Brazilian Jiujitsu. It was such an awesome experience. I was absolutely giddy with excitement. I wish I had some shots of me doing some of the actual training, but here are some pix of fighters I worked with.

I attended a 2-day seminar by Ryron and Rener Gracie -- isn't this picture amusing? ;) 

Me & Matt Hughes

Me & Khalil Rountree (he was main fight for Tuff n Uff & he won!)

 This is my favorite picture of the whole summer - messing around with BJ Penn after training!

 Me & Forrest Griffin at the UFC party

The main fight: Silva vs. Weidman - UFC 162

A glimpse of the fan expo - it was so cool!

There were quite a few celebrities at the fight, and I got a great view of many of them since we were in the 3rd row - Mike Tyson, Steven Segal, Usher, Edward James Olmos, Kim Coates and Theo Rossi from Sons of Anarchy to name a few ... I was smiling the whole night :)

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What I Learned

I love MMA training. The training sessions were tough; they really made me test my physical abilities in a different way from cardio and strength training. After each session, I felt empowered and strong. Upon leaving Vegas all I wanted was to get back home and get into proper training as soon as possible.

I realized that if I wanted to achieve any level of proficiency in MMA, then I was going to have to train more like an athlete. This meant really focusing on good nutrition, proper/efficient workouts, and adequate rest. It's a combination that I have known is necessary for a while, but this time I felt more serious about it.

I wanted it, and I am willing to work for it. The intention itself was very powerful for me. I left Vegas with a renewed sense of determination and a big smile on my face.

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My time in Vegas was occupied with Fight Week. I didn't see any shows, but I did eat at many great restaurants. As a fan of Top Chef, I was quite thrilled with how many of the chefs featured on the show had restaurants in Vegas. I took the opportunity to try several of them. My favorite was Joel Robuchon's restaurant at the MGM Grand - really terrific!

D & Me at Joel Robuchon

We had every intention of going to the Grand Canyon before leaving Las Vegas; however, I was so beat with all the training that the last stop I made was to the spa to be totally pampered before the next long road trip. Bliss!

Next Stop: San Francisco

(Link to: Las Vegas Update Part 1)