The results - 30 Day Cleanse

Not even before reaching the half way mark of the cleanse, my habits started to change. Replacing shakes for meals was not a big deal. I started being more conscious of what I was putting into my body and how my body was affected. Planning what I would eat in advance for meals and snakes, made a huge difference. No longer would I be scavenging around looking for something to eat only to find greasy, high fat or high sugar foods. Healthy nutrition became so easy.

I completed my four cleansing days in the first two weeks. The recommendation was to do two days back to back in the first week and repeat the same in the second. I was genuinely surprised by the results after the first week and first round of cleanse. I didn't think it were possible to see those results in the second week but I did. The Cm's started to fall off me, yes I was replacing solids with liquids, yet the results still amazed me.

During the last week of my cleanse I was fortunate enough to receive a job offer working in a Helli-skiing resort. I packed my bags and my shakes and headed north. The lodge where I started work was beautiful. Great staff, lovely guests and delicious food was served for breakfast lunch and dinner. This would put my shakes to the test.

In the last few days of the program I started to gradually incorporated food back into my two meals that had been replaced by shakes. I didn't over load, but tried certain temptations. Yes, it was nice to eat food again but some foods just seemed different. I noticed the fat or the sugar or how much certain foods felt heavy in my stomach. Somethings just didn't feel clean, they left me feeling lethargic and low on energy. Now I don't feel the need to reach for those foods again.

After the two rounds of cleansing days I finished of the final two weeks with shake days. Toward the end, I started incorporating solids back into my diet. This time I really though that the results I would see would be minimal. To my surprise, they weren't. I have listed below some of the results I achieved that really surprised me.

My results:

Abs - Day 1: 92.5cm | Day 30: 82.7 | Total Loss: 9.8cm
Buttocks - Day 1: 106cm | Day 30: 98cm | Total Loss: 8cm
Thigh (R) - Day 1: 64cm | Day 30: 58cm | Total Loss: 6cm
Total Cm's* - Day 1: 838.5cm | Day 30: 787.8cm | Total Loss: 50.7cm
Weight - Day 1: 70.1kg | Day 30: 67.5kg | Total Loss: 2.6kg
* Measurements were taken from neck, upper arms (L&R), chest, diaphragm, waist, abs, buttocks, upper thigh(L&R), calf(L&R) and upper knee(L&R).

The cleanse has really helped me lean up. No longer do I feel lethargic and I always know where to turn when I need an energy boost. My athletic performance has improved and my mindset and mental clarity has changed dramatically. I would highly recommend this program to those wishing to achieve results in sports performance, weight loss and general welling. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Starting to see results - 30 Day Cleanse

I'm on day eight of the 30 day cleanse. One week down and three to go. So I ask myself, what has the cleanse done for me so far? What has it changed? The answer is this...I'm appreciating good food; I have a better mind, body, brain connection; I feel great and I have lost a little weight.

Since taking on this challenge, I tell people that I only get to eat one meal a day. The other meals are shakes. The responses I hear are "Don't you get hungry?", "You know its good to eat!", "I couldn't replace a shake for a meal." I respond with the truth... "Sometimes I get hungry, but I do snack and the shakes are sufficient for a meal." "I know its good to eat, and I am eating, I appreciate good healthy food even more and plan this carefully since I only get one meal each day." "If I can do it, you can do it. I'm a very active person in all of my day to day activities. Typical activity in a day for me includes at least 20min of yoga, snowboarding for a few hours, working as a massage therapist between 3-6 hours, walking the dog and a 1-2 hours of roller derby practise either on skates or at the gym."

When it comes to planning a meal I choose wisely. Foods that are full of good nutrients, vitamins and minerals that will fuel my body. This is what I crave. I sit down and enjoy every meal. I taste every mouthful and feel every bite. Delicious. Yes, I want to eat more but for now, this is a challenge, a 30 day cleanse and I accept the challenge and I will learn from the experience.

Speaking about experience, one of the major things I have noticed is the enriched connection between my mind, body and brain. This is most evident when I'm partaking in physical activity or when I'm working on a certain task. I don't just go through the motions anymore. The exercises are broken down and performed with meaning and intent, focusing on exactly what I am doing. On Saturday night I participated in a practise scrimmage for roller derby. Every time I stood on the jammer line I had a plan of attack, every time the whistle blew, the plan worked. With this, my confidence improves and I feel great.

I generally do feel a lot better. I know I'm consuming good food and nutritious energy supplements. Getting up in the morning is easier, exercise is enjoyable because I always have the energy to do it. The time at work flies by faster because I spend more time concentrating on the task, I never get distracted.

Lastly, I have lost a small amount of weight. I want to talk about this because its important, but those who know me well know that I'm not doing this cleanse to 'get skinny.' I'm doing it for a challenge and to see what I can gain by fuelling my body with the absolute best. Unlike most women around my age I am confident with my body, and I was before I started this cleanse. Being skinny is not important to me. Being strong and healthy and using your body to the best of its ability is what really interests me.

In 8 days I have lost nearly 2kg, a total of nearly 26cm from all my body measurements and 4.5cm from around my bum. My exercise increased marginally and my diet changed substantially. I feel great and it proves to me that when you take on a challenge, I mean, really take something on...you focus your energy to success and you really do achieve results. I'm not going to say its easy, because its not. On some of the cleanse days all I wanted was food, sometimes I just want to eat breakfast, but this is a challenge, and I accepted it. So ill be seeing it though to the end.

30 Day Cleanse

This year I wanted to have a really good shot at being the fittest and healthiest I can be for the Roller Derby season. I decided to take on a 30 Day Cleanse. The only other cleanse I have done was a year ago, lasting 10 days. My response was far from what I expected, landing myself sick in bed and quite put off at even the thought of another cleanse. This seemed much more structured. I signed up and my box of goodies was here within 4 days.

The intention of this cleanse is not weight loss, although if I can shed a few kg's, ill end up at an optimal weight. This will maximise the way I use my body at practice and bouts. I am not here nor there when it comes to eating.  I like to eat well, and I like to binge too. As an athlete my weight has bounced around between 60kg and 75kg. All ranges being effective for what I have to achieve. 

I know my body well and I want to feed it what it needs to achieve the best it can. Not only a healthy weight, but strength and power. I also want brain power. As I have mentioned before Roller Derby is a game of thinking, you must be able to think clearly. I want to get to the optimal. For me I feel this is not dissimilar from beach sprinting. Light enough for speed, but strong enough for power. Fast reactions and the ability to think on your feet (or your skates this time around) Im not far from that, but I do have a little way to go.

I have heard a lot of people talk about 'shake diets' and have been quite skeptical to try, or even believe they are good for you. Perhaps it was the samples that I tried that changed my mind. They really ARE a meal! 100% natural ingredients where quality is never sacrificed.

So I started four days ago. Day one was exciting. The shakes, snacks and supplements were filling, tasty and effective. The biggest change is that I am SWITCHED ON. Mental clarity, everything is clear. I don't forget. Day two was much the same. I bounced a long and felt great that my body was being cleaned and could feel so good.

On day three I started the 'cleanse day' - this seems quite hard core. You dont really eat food, just a few specially formulated snacks to curb the cravings. Your body is cleansed with nutrient rich herbal, berry juice formula. The taste is quite good yet it does seem strange for me not to eat solids.

I have noticed the effects on my body over the last few days. Day four I could opt for the cleanse again for best results. Of course I want the best results. I opted for the cleanse again. As day four draws to an end, I feel pretty darn good considering I haven't eaten for around 48 hours. I participated in 2 hours of practice tonight and Im feeling great.

Im excited for my shakes tomorrow, and I know Im going to appreciate my one meal so much more than I normally would. Next week Im lucky enough to repeat the 2 day 'cleanse within the cleanse'. Im excited for the next 26 days. Four days in and Im feeling great.

Roller Derby 2013 - Its clear!

I feel like I have been here so many times before, behind the Jammer line staring into a pack of 8 Blockers, or rather, staring right through a pack of 8 Blockers. Anticipation of the start makes the energy so high, the feeling is intense. This is what I thrive off. I love this feeling. A combination of excitement, anticipation's, nerves and not knowing whats about to happen next. For a handful of the 'fresh meat' girls on our team, it was there first game. I remembered my first game, a cloud of confusion with snippets of 'ah ha' moments.

Just under a year ago I played in my first Roller Derby bout. From there I never looked back. There is so much for me to love about this sport. A combination of power, agility, strength, speed, focus, strategy, teamwork and concentration. A game where you are constantly switching from offense to defense whilst rolling on eight wheels, alongside nine other players on the track. A 64 page rule book and seven officials calling the shots. Throw all that into the mix and it gives you enough things to think about!

Thinking is exactly the challenge. I believe all sports are won from the mind. Through 2012 I played an entire season around 10 bouts and more practice games. The thought process in Roller Derby can be complex. As a Jammer its easy, you have one goal, to get through the pack and score points. As a clean player you can avoid penalties without too much thought. As a Blocker however, the thought process is different. Your main goal is to stop the opposing teams Jammer from getting by. To do this you need to have strategies, you need to understand what strategies the opposing team is playing. You can also help your own Jammer or simply create chaos in the pack. Offense and defense switching constantly and being able to understand all this whilst taking and unexpected slamming hit from an opposing player.

Last year I felt up and down, from Jam to Jam. Sometimes switched on, reading the play and using this to my advantage. Whist other times were a cloud of confusion and unable to execute effective moves or understand what was happening on the track. Perhaps a mind block, or a rookie perspective? Could this be changed through mental imagery? visualization? supplements or energy drinks?

I have never been a big fan of energy drinks. Occasionally a Powerade to replenish my fluid at the end of activity. In this last week, I had been recommended a product, 100% natural that claimed to have the same effects as these 'energy drinks.' e+ a 60ml shot, I was told had natural caffeine, the amount that you would get from a cup of coffee derived from green tea and mate. My friend could not believe the mental clarity and focus it gave him. How alert he felt for hours after. Skeptical, but curious I vowed to try the shot in combination with my next Roller Derby bout.

So there we lined up for our first scrimmage of 2013. I am by no means and expert, but Id like to be. Which means I need to win this game from my mind. We had just driven 2 hours to get here and it was around 7.30pm. I had taken the shot about 10minutes earlier but right now I felt the same as every other time I lined up on the Jam line.

The blast of the whistle and away we went. I Jammed for the most part of the first half. Winning most and loosing some. I alternated in and out of the pack and found myself Blocking more in the second half. My mind had control, every play was clear. I understood this game inside and out. This never flagged. I could see strategies in play and how to counter them. Everything was clear. The entire game seemed like an 'ah ha' moment. If my physical skills had not been able to keep up, my mind knew what was going on. The feeling was incredible.

The learning curve this past year has been huge. A mixture of knowledge and better skills improved my game. But Im not a stranger to playing sport from the mind. The clarity and alertness I felt this game was amazing and ill be trialling the shot again. Along with several other products on offer.

Times are exciting in Roller Derby, before we know it the 2013 season will be upon us. I cant wait to play and improve and immerse myself in this sport. -Flash Fury

Picture curtsey of Crystal Hudson - Black Eyed Cherries

If you interested in finding out more about e+ please comment below and I will be in touch.

Bonnie and Collied

The time had come, two undefeated teams facing off, Avalanche City Roller Girls (ACRG) Vs Killer Rollbots, it was bout day. The game had been at the front of my mind for the last two weeks. Since we stepped off the track at our last game in Invermere, the preparation begun. The gap in between had seemed like forever and I had crammed as much roller derby learning into my brain that I could possibly handle. Now here we were, rolling into the Marysville arena to take on the only other undefeated team in the league.

ACRG, my team from Fernie is what would get me through this game. In my five month roller derby career I have learnt that sometimes derby can be scary, you have to throw yourself into a pack of four blockers that are trying to hit you down. You get hit hard, you fall hard and sometimes it really hurts. But you get back up again because there are four other girls out there, on your team, that have your back.

Excitement levels were high. Over time I have learnt to channel my nervous energy for the best, into a pool of explosive power and strength ready to unleash when I hit the start line, now days the jammer line. In our change room the final touches to our warm up go down. A bunch of dancing, skate stamping and thigh clapping.

Rolling onto Marysville's bumpy, uneven, cut up track, the drama had already began. Just as we had predicted, severe storms had hit. Sheeting rain had soaked the ground outside and now condensation was rising through the chopped up concrete slab, making corner two and half of the back straight a slippery affair. My team was set, half of us had just spent the last hour on the track, officiating the first game, we knew what we were in for. Unfortunately for the Rollbots, they were none the wiser, seeking ten minutes to change their wheels. ACRG took this opportunity to extend our warm up over the slippery surface.

Then we took the line. Noise levels rose from the crowd, I don't think we were the only ones excited for this game. Our play was strategic and our team knew what we had to do to win, we just had to execute it right. Jenna jammed first, she got lead jammer! Our skaters on the bench, me included, erupted into cheer. The first five minutes of my game were clouded as I landed myself in the sin bin for two minutes. Now we couldn't score points, as I was wearing the jammer pantie. This wouldn't drag us down, our blockers rose to the challenge.

Half time rolled around before I could even think, we went into the break with a narrow lead, a lead non the less. We were playing well but the game wasn't over yet. I'm was sceptical of getting to excited - its not over till its over. Positive air filled our change rooms and we psyched up for the final half.

Having three minor penalties I found myself on the bench waiting and avoiding my fourth as this would send me to the box yet again for a major. Finally I was on, in the box and back on the track. Our jams ticked down one by one. Power jam for us and power jam for then. Our score gradually increased and time felt like it stood still.

We were high on adrenaline and finally the whistle blew to signal the end of the game. We had done it, we won against the Rollbots! You couldn't wipe the smiles of our faces if you tried. Our proud team skated a victory lap and posed for a team photo. What an incredible feeling. 10 days on and I still get butterflies thinking about our victory!

Rival Revival

Nervous energy engulfed the room. We sat there quietly, an hour before the first whistle blew. We were about to play the first official bout as Avalanche City Roller Girls in the East Kootenay Roller Derby League. I looked around the room to see these women who had built our team and the league from scratch. Joining us were three other teams, Barvarian Barbarians from Kimberly, Mountain Town Maulers from Cranbrook and Killer Rollbots from Invermere. Along with them came coaches, officials, volunteers, support crew, spectators and a beer garden! 12 months was all it had taken. Wow!

Time ticked by as each of us prepared for the bout ahead. The rooms became busier as we pulled on our booty shorts, inked numbers into our arms, fixed our wrist guards and tightened our skates. I knew everyone faced it, we all just had our own way of coping the with the nervous energy that swamped the rooms. Mostly, we just tried to laugh the butterflies away.

Before we knew it, we wrapped on the aviators for our team skate on and introductions. Safety checks followed and then the Canadian national anthem. I tried my best to hum my way through and made a mental note to learn the words before the next bout. In a matter of moments our powerhouse line up stood on the track and the first whistle blasted.

The first few jams elude my memory but our star players came to the party. Our strong blockers, Breakadawn, McCoy and Lacey put their forces in motion. Whilst Jenna and Jax rolls laps and clocked points on the board. I line up in the pack, brain working overtime. This is the biggest mind game I have every played. Understanding the play, the timing and where the other 9 girls are on the track is paramount. Staying on your feet is key. There is so much to think about in this game of roller skating.

The first half flies by in an instant. To me it feel like a scatterbrain moment and strange calls made by the refs leave us wondering how we could possibly be 11 points behind. The change rooms now hold chaotic energy as we sit taking deep breaths with one goal...to calm down. Our support crew enter and we find just enough time to gather our minds and screw our heads back on. Words of inspiration fill the air. We return to the track in much better shape.

In the second half I find myself jamming every other jam. Finally I can find my feet and my brain. I prefer the offencive play. The mission is simple get through the pack. My focus kicks in and I plough around and around, fighting my way through. Every other jam analysing Jenna to learn in any way I can. The arena is filled with screaming crowds and excitement. Soon I realise that even jamming has its complexities. Rolling around in my own world, I'm awakened by my team mates telling me to listen to the bench. This is where I am told the play. We sit for no longer than a minute and its on again.

The clock ticks down and the scores are close, we hold a small margin of a lead. The final jams seem a mess of confusion. Yet we play them out. Finally the whistle blows to signal the end of the game. We stand as team staring at the scoreboard. Points click up on either team. Were up by 8. We won the game!

Foxxxy Frostbite having her knee taped at half time.

Check out the full game here.

Let the games begin

As I lye in shavasana on the studio floor, I melt into the wooden surface. So energized by the practice yet so tranquil. Floating into another world, in the midst of calm, Im skating. How bizarre that in such a peaceful place I find myself in this hectic sport. Yet in this hectic sport I can find peace! This is where I want to be.

Just over 12 months ago, I thought up some crazy plan to play roller derby. I dont know where it came from, I didn't event know what roller derby was. All I knew is that it was crazy, exciting and fast and I had  to be a part of it. As I began investigating, I found that it wasn't that difficult to get involved in, but I didn't want to go down this road alone. Dani, one of my best friends would be up for the madness of this game. 

I'd met Dani six years earlier on another crazy mission, bobsleigh. Yes, Australia has a bobsleigh team! Attempting to qualify for the 2006 winter games, we hurled ourselves down tracks all over the world. She seemed the perfect person to come on this adventure with me. And so we entered....into the world of roller derby.

After purchasing our skate gear, we found ourselves surrounded by five year olds at the roller dome. Rolling around getting used to the four wheels that would take us into this new game. 11 months later I find myself in the small town of Fernie, with there very own roller derby league. I've had around five months total on my skates and tomorrow I get to play in my first bout.

Saying Im excited is an understatement. This is not like any other sport I have played. Normally the day before a comp Id have speratic waves of nervousness but not today, Im not sure why, maybe they will come tomorrow?

As I lengthen my breath and wiggle my toes I slowly return to studio room. Let the games begin!