This is Vanessa’s story about when she needed to turn to Suicide Call Back Service (operated by Crisis Support Services)

“Hi, my name’s Vanessa. I’m just calling to say thanks. I started using the Suicide Call Back Service a few months ago after my boyfriend attempted suicide and was diagnosed with bipolar. We were really having a tough time because we don’t have a big support network around us as we’ve moved from interstate.

“I found it really hard to cope and help Jason through this time as he was often so highly distressed and agitated. But every time your counselor called us she helped to lighten the load a little bit more which was great.

“Jason’s now getting regular support from a local psychologist and he’s on new medication so he’s doing much better. Thank you for guiding us along the road to recovery.”

So…. I’m no longer sleepy but happy, nor am I calm & skinny.  I guess I’m about half-way between ‘normal’ me and the top quality sugar-free version I discovered in the last fortnight.  I weaned myself off the sugar detox just in time for a Good Friday hot cross bun and a coffee – yum!  Here’s a brief summary of how the end of sugar deprivation unfolded…..

By Thursday evening I was excited, knowing that I’d done my time and could return to a more normal diet.  Which is weird, why did I want it to end?  I was feeling better than I’d felt in years.  This shows how ingrained in me it is to want sugar!

I didn’t go completely crazy, but I had a coffee each day, a fair share of easter eggs and  some bakery bits.  So what happened?  I woke up to the alarm this morning feeling like it was far too early to get up.  My swim was slow.  I wanted to hurt someone by the time I got to work.  My morning meetings both cancelled, which drove me nuts.  And I’ve been relatively unproductive for the last 4 hours.

OK, some of this is delayed mondayitis, working after a long weekend is never fun.  But it cannot be a coincidence that I’ve returned to a more normal diet and had a grumpy morning straight away.  Which is why I’m going to put my thinking cap on and come up with a plan to stick to a slightly milder version of the sugar detox for as long as I possibly can.  I just felt too good – I don’t want to give it up!

If you’re looking for a taste of the happy, calm, skinny, productive life I lived for the last fortnight (and am about to reclaim), sign up with Vibrant Nutrition and give it a go.  I can only recommend it!

Those of you who read my last post will know that I’m following a 14-day sugar detox.  Which sounds easier than it is.  We’re not just talking sugar…. we’re talking sugar, dairy, coffee, all grains (except quinoa and brown rice), fruit, do you get the idea?  I’m living on veges, meat, eggs and herbal teas!

In my last report, I was feeling calm but sleepy.  Like I had constantly just woken up from a sleep-in.  Which is lovely, but doesn’t necessarily help me to get my work done.  Which is why I’m so happy to say that I am now… calm and skinny.  Result!!  I have got my energy back, but still have a strange sense of calm.  Which has really helped with a challenging week of work.

I didn’t start this detox aiming to lose weight, so I didn’t do any initial measurements.  But when I got ready for a meeting today, I realised that my clothes looked odd.  Because my stomach flattened.  Virtually overnight.  No girl is going to complain about that.

I’m almost halfway and I’m happy.  You can find out about the detox I’m doing at www.vibrantnutrition.com.au

NB: Writing this blog was a distraction tool.  I would do ANYTHING for a coffee right now!

A big part of putting Spring together each year is chatting to other businesses who could work well with what we do.  Which led me to Lisa Snowdon, from Vibrant Nutrition, who offers online sugar detox and weight loss programmes.

I liked what Lisa had to offer and was willing to tell you all about it.  But, as they say, talk is cheap.  So I am backing up my words with action and am happy to say I haven’t touched sugar for 2.5 days.  Only 11.5 to go…. here’s my journey so far:

Day 0

I wasn’t ready to go sugar free on Saturday – I was going out that night and didn’t want to be the difficult one.  So I decided to semi-commit and go caffeine-free on Day 0, then get right into this mission on Sunday.  At lunchtime I thought things were going quite well.  Then evening came and I got hit with a monster caffeine-withdrawl headache.  Ouch!!  And I always tell people I can take or leave coffee. Apparently not.

Day 1

The good news is, it hasn’t been that bad again.  I followed Lisa’s tips and used green tea to ease the pain of a coffee-free life and got on with Sunday.  We went to an ocean swim, where I had to give up the traditional sausie sanger and settle for stealing the egg and onion out of James’, which upset him more than me.  I was a bit sleepier than usual in the afternoon, but nothing too dramatic seemed to be happening.

Day 2

Monday, never an easy day. I’d prepared most of the food I needed for Monday on Sunday afternoon, so at least I didn’t need to think.  You see, sugar-free is not just about what we think of as sugar.  My current diet consists of brown rice, quinoa, tonnes of veges and good sources of protein, like eggs, chicken & fish.  Anything that our body converts into sugar is off the menu.

I was really tired on Monday, but felt calm & happy.  Not the horrible exhaustion I usually associate with being tired.  I guess my body is in a more natural state and is recognising when it’s tired earlier, before I push myself too far and hit a wall.

Day 3

I started the day with a vege omelette and a weights session.  I felt strong and didn’t even want post-training coffee – yay!  Although the nasty cafe did put a square of chocolate with my peppermint tea, which obviously had to be given away.  Hurumph.

I can honestly say that I’m finding this detox a lot easier than I expected.  I’m sleepy, but in a good way.  And I can’t wait for the improved energy that everyone says is just around the corner.  Watch this space, I’ll keep you posted…..

If you want to find out more about the Vibrant Nutrition online plans, go to http://www.vibrantnutrition.com.au/index.htm

We are so excited to announce our new charity partner for Spring 2012.  Please view this video to meet me, find out who will receive our profits this year and learn a little about what they do.  We know that you’re busy, so we’ve kept it to under a minute.

Find out more about CSS at www.crisissupport.org.au

This time in 6 months will be the busiest day of my year.  August 31st always is.  And I can’t wait!!!  We are half-way between Spring 2011 and Spring 2012 and I just can’t wait to tell you about some of the exciting elements we are bringing to Spring this year…..

1. We have a brilliant new charity partner joining us.  They do fantastic work supporting people all over Australia and have services that every Spring participant needs to know about.  We’ll let you know who they are next week, watch this space!
2. The Australian Healthy Food Guide is preparing a 30-day feel-good food plan.  Why?  Because the more you do to improve your mood, the better your life is going to be.  We’ll make it super-simple, with weekly shopping lists and easy-to-follow recipes.
3. Meditation.  It decreases the effects of stress, mild depression and anxiety.  As well as doing wonderful things for our physical health.  I can’t believe we didn’t include it last year!
4. More workplaces are getting involved.  Companies who care about the happiness of their staff are signing up the entire team and helping us to spread the word.  Want your workplace to get involved? Drop us a line at support@springfitness.com.au to find out more.
5. We’re going country.  Yip.  Spring wants to sign up entire country towns and get them training together.  Let’s see some community spirit.

There’s so much more to come.  But I don’t want you sitting and reading all day, I want you to get out and move (even if it is a little rainy).

Have a happy day!

Today is Day 21.  They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.  It doesn’t mean that training will become easy, just that it will become a regular part of your life.  And we really hope it has!

What I’ve found is that having to contact you everyday has become habitual.  As a fitness trainer, my days have always been varied.  I run around from place to place, training clients, teaching classes, training myself, eating whenever the opportunity presents itself and getting onto admin as and when I can.  So to suddenly need to have a newsletter sent by 3:30pm everyday, new links added to the website before the newsletter is sent, e-mails replied to within 24hours, new members added daily… let’s just say it’s been a challenge!

That seems to have changed.  I enjoy the predictability of needing to get in touch with you.  I relish the opportunity to read your feedback and respond.  I love it that you know you’ll hear from Spring on time everyday, that the new training plan will be there waiting for you.  And I don’t know what I’ll do with myself in October!

So remember, what starts off as challenging, can become very close to us in a relatively short amount of time.  Persevere, so that change has a chance to take place.

Our first Tunesday was a great success, thanks so much for your responses!  So, if you need something new to add to your training play list, check out this list for inspiration:

1. Underneath the Radar - it takes me back to feeling fit   * winning entry
2. I like to move it, move it - it gets me going & happy
3. Hook’n'Sling ‘The best thing’ remix - I zone out into nightclub land and find myself smiling like a lunatic
4. Headscrews, Mr Dero & Klumzy Tung – an energetic, fun, shoulder boppin’ song
5. I’m too sexy, Right Said Fred – it makes me energetic and motivates me to be the one who is too sexy for their shorts
6. Don’t pass me by, The Beatles – it encourages me to make sure no-one runs quicker or trains harder than me
7. Puzzle plank galary theme - in honour of a certain trainer who loves dishing out planks
8. Just can’t get enough – it makes me feel happy, excited, alive & ready for a workout
9. Boogie tonight, Bootie Luv – you can’t help but move
10. In the End, Linkin Park – great for punching out my upsets when I’m feeling angry or frustrated
11. What a feeling, Alex Gaudine & Kelly Rowland – so uplifting!
12. Knock on wood, Amii Stewart - makes me disco dance in the middle of the gym
13. I like it, Enrique Iglesias – always gets me going
14. We come one, Faithless - it even has a slow bit for recovery, then ramps back up
15. Are you gonna be my girl, Jet – Great song, great tempo & great to sing to
16. Run, Gnarls Barkley – he’s not actually singing about running, but it gets me up & going
17. We are the Champions, Queen
18. Hit me with your best shot
19. It’s my life, Bon Jovi
20. Eye of the Tiger, Survivor

Gold Coast Panache magazine recommends Spring to keep mentally fit.  And why not?  With so many Australians affected by mental illness each year and such overwhelming proof that exercise is an effective treatment, it makes sense.