Feel good Friday and Freeletics

WOW!!! What a week! Can I just say how intense our first week of Freeletics has been? I started last week with the x4 Aphrodite workouts for our last weeks challenge in September and now it's cranking and I had to do as many burpees and sit ups in 300 seconds. It was an intense 15 minute workout. Loved every minute of it even though I absolutely loathe burpees.

Fitness

Nike rainbow runners with my Blackmilk Clothing sharky VIP leggins

Lucky I got my Nikes with rainbow shoelaces on for an unreal $4.99 from Target just to add a bit of colour to my black ensemble. Also to keep me motivated

Today I did the Freeletics burpees and sit up MAX workouts, here are my times;

Freeletics MAX workouts

I am pumped that I haven't missed my workouts this week and my food has been 80% okay. The other 20% have been some squares of chocolate, a craving for toast with nutella and heaps of macadamia nuts!!! I am seriously in love with those nuts. As much as they are good for you, too much of them isn't a good thing either. 

Food

Breakfast has consisted of smoothies and fruit salads

Morning and afternoon snacks have been dips with crackers, fruit with yogurt or a protein drink.

Lunch have been salads or sandwiches and a big craving this week were my famous French Toast club sandwiches. They are the best!!!

Healthy French Toast Club Sandwiches

Method:

Mix eggs with a dash of your favourite milk or splash of water. Season with pepper and salt. Dip your bread (we use either wholemeal or wholegrain bread) and gently fry in olive oil until golden brown. Either eat as is or stack them up club sandwich style and fill with your favourite foods. We had lettuce, ham and cheese.

Dinners have been salad or steamed vegetables with chicken or beef, however on Monday we did the meatless Monday and enjoyed an array of fresh vegetables and salads. Yum!!!

What's on for your weekend? We have Run Ballarat so looking forward to another amazing event. If you missed me last year, you can read all about it here.

Much love and friendship,

XxDani  

Workout Wednesday and BOB Ironman stroller review

We love it. As soon as a little bit of sun gets out in Ballarat we are out that door!!! Here's Zali and I in the park having some fun and I squeezed in a mini squat workout. I also love getting into my fitness gear as they are super comfy when working out and super stylish for when I need to pick up the kids from school.

Blackmilk Clothing camo leggings, Nike free runners, Stylerunner Striders Edge jacket

Thank you Stylerunner for my funky fitness pack and supporting my Ride To Conquer Cancer rides, I hope to see you in Sydney for the Chris O'Brien Lighthouse at RPA. I only have another $500 to reach my target. Donations of any kind are welcomed here.

For those that like to workout in style, head over and check out the awesome range of fitness wear and like Stylerunners' Facebook page here.

Squat workout

12 body weight squats
12 baby/body weight squats (as pictured above for added weight I held Zali whilst doing a regular squat)
12 Plie squats (stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width with your toes pointing out. Put your arms out straight in front of you and lower into a squat)
12 squats with kick back (simply bring your left leg straight behind you while extending your arms forward. Repeat on other side)

NB: avoid your knees creeping over your toes

BOB IronMan stroller review

I also love taking our "you beaut" BOB IronMan stroller for some interval training up and down our street. Adrian likes to take Zali for a run around the lake too and finds the fixed front wheel really sturdy. He particularly likes the alloy wheels and the hand brake. Such a male thing to say!

Ironman stroller

I love how smooth it feels, very light to push, great to manoeuvre and the padded handlebar is comfortable. The girls love jumping into the stroller at any opportunity. There are heaps of great features on this stroller. A secure five-point padded harness, adjustable reclining seat that looks super comfy with all the padding. Fabulous on those days when you want them to sleep and you get some fresh air and exercise at the same time. I love it!!!

Mietta and I running up and down our street in the Ironman stroller

It's super lightweight frame makes it easy to fold away in 2 easy steps and fits comfortably in the rear of our car. Nothing is worse than being stuck on the road trying to fold up a stroller when you are in a hurry, trust me, it's hard yakka with 4 kids!!! It is totally optioned up with a snack tray and with the wind blowing across Lake Wendouree, the multi-position canopy adjusts for protection against the harsh winds and wet weather. It looks super cosy in there.

There is loads of storage in the seat back pocket for my handbag and our snacks, including internal pockets for the girls lip gloss and toys.  I would recommend this stroller especially for those active Mums that need to get out and exercise but can't co-ordinate a babysitter on time. Having said that, Adrian loves taking Zali for a walk/run giving me a break and fitting in fitness for himself.

Adrian and baby Zali loving the Ironman stroller

Do you prefer to workout on your own or like finding creative ways to exercise with your kids?

Happy Wednesday xxDani 

Epic weekend in Brisbane for the Rio Tinto Ride To Conquer Cancer

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark." - Michelangelo 

Jeepers! I know for a fact I didn't aim low with this Ride To Conquer Cancer achievement. I am speechless, so many europhic and epic moments that I will endeavour to keep this short and sweet. Still pinching myself with Richard Branson getting back to our invitation to come ride with us. Totally outta this world!

Photo courtesy of amazing photographer Pat  Event Photos Australia

Seriously? This time last week I was in Bris Vegas and meeting a bunch of crazy and super extraordinary people. Yes, we the VisionCrusaders.com finally met face to face for the first time. It was like a family reunion. Faces were familiar and we were chatting like it was only yesterday. Which is kinda true, as we would've touched base via Facebook the night before to finalise our weekend arrangements.

The power of social media and connecting people these days simply blows me away. I am totally in love with it all, as you can appreciate being a Mum of 4 kids my social life isn't as regular as back in my Rockstar Dani days :-)

Anyways, without getting too emotional and telling you this has got to be one of the greatest things I have EVER done in my life (besides marrying the love of my life and giving birth to 4 amazing children) this comes pretty close. I rode with so many amazing people and loved hearing all their stories and why they ride. They shared their life with me and the ones they lost. I too told them I had family pass away and thankfully my father survived prostate cancer.
It was truly humbling to hear them give me thanks for doing what I am doing and for leaving our young family behind to help theirs. WOW!!! Tears, strolling.

So without further adieu here are my thousand words in pictures.....

Day 1 - Vision Crusaders We ROCK!!! We were pumped!!!! Just about to take off!

Simon Mills, Brenda Batten, Nicko Lunardi, Nicole Whelan, Dani Stevens , Kai McIntyre, Ken Dutton, Josh Potter, Klaus Bartosch, Troy Douglas, Greg Leitch, Bec Failla, Chris Hennessey, Sharon Robson, Jeanette McGhee, Rona & Tim Wakeman, Robert Dixon, Jacqueline Anthony, Lis Dargush, Matt Leasegang and Stephen Hughes

Day 1 - I officially fall off my bike with one cleat still on (only a minor fall), first 5kms into my ride and I stuff up on my gears, the chain gets stuck in between the cassette and the rear hub, amazing Rio Tinto bike techs to the rescue and I allow the blood flow back into my body after my feet go numb riding. 

Fitness Food And Style rides her first 220kms ride

Day 1 - celebrating our amazing team member Robert Dixon reaching his 20,000kms milestone, super special

Vision Crusaders celebrating Robert Dixon's 20,000km milestone

Day 1 - riding along side my partner in crime, Matt (I'm sure we got separated at birth)

Matt L (another amazing photographer) and I

Day 1 - first lunch pit stop after missing one in between and cycling 40kms straight! I was on fire!

Captain Klaus Bartosch and I (eating as per usual)

Day 2 - We were very noticeable standing out in our Blackmilk Clothing leggings

Photo courtesy of amazing photographer Pat  Event Photos Australia

Day 2 - riding in the fog and being escorted by Police vehicles was pretty cool

Photo courtesy of amazing photographer Pat  Event Photos Australia

Day 2 - Beautiful Stephen Hughes kept me going over the 2 days, awesome crew at every pit stop nourishing our fatigue bodies, fab photographer Pat capturing all these amazing pictures and Greg and I woo-hooing at the finish line on Day 2

Day 2 RTCC highlights with fabulous people

Day 2 - Bec and I crossing and finishing our 220kms ride together

Photo courtesy of amazing photographer Pat  Event Photos Australia

Day 2- I complete my first ever ride of 220kms of my life (my bike only clocked 100kms on an indoor trainer 14 days ago). Anything is possible if you set your mind to it!

Very proud moment

The Rio Tinto Ride to Conquer Cancer raised an astonishing $4.2 Million, with 1,236 riders to support vital cancer research and clinical trial at QIMR. I am super proud to be a part of this. For those wishing to support us please donate generously so we, the Vision Crusaders can complete ALL of the 6 Ride To Conquer Cancer events. Click to donate to our team here or you can donate to my next ride in Melbourne which supports the Peter Mac foundation.

Special thanks 

To all my Vision Crusaders family, amazing sponsors Cycle City for my bike, Goves Cycles for my awesome gloves, 2XU for my bike apparel and all of you that kindly donated and made all this happen.

While I was in Brisbane my beautiful girlfriend made me feel pretty special by placing micro bead hair extensions, I am so in love with them. So if you are in Brisbane, you have to contact Nicolina at Lashing Extensions and please like her Facebook page and leave her a comment and say hi. They feel so amazing, so natural. Our kids thought that the sunshine made my hair grow longer while I was up North. Gold!!!

Hair extensions by Lashings Extensions

Have a beautiful weekend and I look forward to another sensational week with you all next week.
xxDani

Linking up With Some Grace for FYOB.