Headed to Australia; need motivation

ditch_doctor8503
ditch_doctor8503 Posts: 17
edited November 2024 in Motivation and Support
Hi there MFP community! My hubby and I are headed to a trip of a life time By the end of this year and I want to be in tip top shape! Two things: I'm looking for other females to exchange motivation and nutrition tips with and if you've been to Australia I would like to hear your experience! Please feel free to add me!
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Replies

  • karen_fitzgibbon
    karen_fitzgibbon Posts: 736 Member
    Not only have one been to Australia, but i live here too!!!!
    Australia is awesome!
  • ditch_doctor8503
    ditch_doctor8503 Posts: 17
    Well that is even better! Thanks for the reply!!
  • karen_fitzgibbon
    karen_fitzgibbon Posts: 736 Member
    Add me if you like
  • HelenWater
    HelenWater Posts: 232 Member
    I live in Australia!
  • TwinkieDong
    TwinkieDong Posts: 1,564 Member
    find me an Aussie woman that likes Americans! :)
  • ditch_doctor8503
    ditch_doctor8503 Posts: 17
    edited March 2015
    Thanks for the reply@ Helen
    @Twinkie I'll see what I can do... But don't hold your breath B)
  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
    I live here too. I'm an expat from the MI and DC area.
    You may add me too if you'd like
  • KiwiAlexP
    KiwiAlexP Posts: 186 Member
    I'm doing the same thing as you but in reverse -currently in NZ and heading to the States at the end of the year
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,048 Member
    Motivation is internal. You can be encouraged, inspired, etc., but ultimately you either WANT to do it or not. If you don't, none of the above would matter.
    Make a specific plan, put it into action and be COMMITTED to it.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,748 Member
    I'm a Canadian who moved to Australia in 2009, after visiting the place a couple times and loving it.

    One way to see and enjoy Australia is to go on hikes and walks and bicycle rides ... so my encouragement to you would be to start doing that now. If you aren't doing those things already, start slow and gradually build up. Note that although Australia may be the flattest continent ... in the areas where the bulk of the population live, it can be quite hilly ... really, really hilly in places. So include hills in your training.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    Aussie here

    The good news is that Australia is generally a great place to be active. Lots of options for activity and you can combine these with sightseeing (bushwalking, cycling, swimming, snorkelling etc.).

    We also have a good range of healthy foods available and portion sizes are generally much smaller than the US. I should warn you in advance that food is a lot more expensive here in Australia than the US so be prepared for that. On the plus side - our wages are quite good compared to the US and hospitality staff are paid quite well so you don't need to tip. You can leave a small amount if the service is extra good but it is in no way required to or considered rude if you don't
  • DeserveVictory
    DeserveVictory Posts: 133 Member
    Australia is fantastic! I went a few years ago and would LOVE to go back.

    I'm headed to Vienna this summer and just bought a new (slightly too small) maxi dress that I am using as visual motivation. I see it everyday and think about how great its going to be to wear in in Austria.

    For Australia, I'd probably use a cute little summer dress as motivation. Maybe one dress size smaller than what you are now?
  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
    If you are going to be here at the end of the year, keep in mind that that is the HOTTEST time in Australia.

    Depending on where you are from in the states, it can be quite a shock.

    This past winter Sydney saw temps in the 40 Cs. That is 104 F. Add in the humidity ... If you plan on going for hikes in those temps and you aren't use to it, I would start working out with that in mind.
  • ditch_doctor8503
    ditch_doctor8503 Posts: 17
    Thank you all for the very informative replies. @kuranda10‌ I'm looking at the winter(August) So hopefully the heat won't come too strong @gmallan‌ yes the price is the biggest set back but I'm looking into renting a vacation home so I can cook most meals. I heard that was a bit cheaper. Thoughts? @ KiwiAlexp what part are you heading to? Hopefully the south so it isn't quite sooo cold
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    Yep that'll cut down the price a lot. How long are you here for and where are you headed? The temperature in August will vary a lot depending on where you are going
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,414 Member
    edited March 2015
    I'm an Australian who has lived in the USA. The exchange rate is certainly in your favour at the moment!

    In August, the further south you go the colder it is - remember were on the bottom end, so north is closer to the equator and tropics! The weather is VERY dependant on where you go. Up north winter means you might need a sweater, down south it means you might need thermals and a boat. Though the weather is so changable lately, you never really know what you're going to get.

    Prices can be a shock, and I think you're on the right track finding a place where you can cook some of your own meals!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,748 Member
    edited March 2015
    ditch_doctor8503 wrote: »
    Thank you all for the very informative replies. @kuranda10‌ I'm looking at the winter(August) So hopefully the heat won't come too strong @gmallan‌ yes the price is the biggest set back but I'm looking into renting a vacation home so I can cook most meals. I heard that was a bit cheaper. Thoughts? @ KiwiAlexp what part are you heading to? Hopefully the south so it isn't quite sooo cold

    Generally, what part of Australia are you thinking of going to?

    If you go somewhere up north you'll have warmer temps. But if you go somewhere south you'll have cooler temps.

    I have lived in Victoria and Tasmania (both south) and I can tell you that winters here are much like those in the Pacific Northwest USA ... lower mainland BC Canada. Wet, chilly, and sometimes snowy.

    August is often a great skiing month in Victoria.

  • KiwiAlexP
    KiwiAlexP Posts: 186 Member
    ditch_doctor8503 wrote: »
    Thank you all for the very informative replies. @kuranda10‌ I'm looking at the winter(August) So hopefully the heat won't come too strong @gmallan‌ yes the price is the biggest set back but I'm looking into renting a vacation home so I can cook most meals. I heard that was a bit cheaper. Thoughts? @ KiwiAlexp what part are you heading to? Hopefully the south so it isn't quite sooo cold

    I'll be going to San Fransisco, New York and finishing in Hawaii for my Birthday in October - so hopefully not too cold

  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
    @ditch_doctor8503‌ , where are you from in the states? That is going to make a HUGE difference in how you percieve "cold" and "hot"
    I've been here five years and have worn a jacket ONCE. But I'm up North. I have friends in Sydney that are from MN, and they laugh at the thought of people needing to wear thermals here.
  • FunkenWagnel
    FunkenWagnel Posts: 131 Member
    I live in Australia, definitely come, you will love it :) My best advice is, don't panic if you think people are insulting you. We have a sense of humour that is off-putting to non Australians sometimes. So, if someone pats you on the shoulder and says, 'ow's it garn, dickhead??' with a smile, it means they like you. :p So, if you think someone is being rude or shocking, just check their face, you'll quickly work out if they're just having a lend of you.
  • FunkenWagnel
    FunkenWagnel Posts: 131 Member
    Oh! And my fellow Aussies will hate me for saying this, but drop bears are NOT real, so don't worry about them. And make sure you do a tim-tam slam when you're here!
  • karen_fitzgibbon
    karen_fitzgibbon Posts: 736 Member
    TwinkieDong wrote: »
    find me an Aussie woman that likes Americans! :)

    Americans are awesome!
  • ditch_doctor8503
    ditch_doctor8503 Posts: 17
    kuranda10 wrote: »
    @ditch_doctor8503‌ , where are you from in the states? That is going to make a HUGE difference in how you percieve "cold" and "hot"
    I've been here five years and have worn a jacket ONCE. But I'm up North. I have friends in Sydney that are from MN, and they laugh at the thought of people needing to wear thermals here.

    I'm currently in South Carolina. So I'm used to the south now. I used to live in northern New York for about 5 years. I completely understand about weather perception. Hopefully it won't be such a shock in Australia
    B)
  • ditch_doctor8503
    ditch_doctor8503 Posts: 17
    gmallan wrote: »
    Yep that'll cut down the price a lot. How long are you here for and where are you headed? The temperature in August will vary a lot depending on where you are going

    For now I'm headed to Port Augusta area. I would like to head to one more place near there.
  • kuranda10
    kuranda10 Posts: 593 Member
    August is actually a really good time of year to come. It's pretty moderate. Not too hot, not too cold, humidity is what normal humans can handle ... ;-)
  • ditch_doctor8503
    ditch_doctor8503 Posts: 17
    FunkenWagnel wrote: »
    Oh! And my fellow Aussies will hate me for saying this, but drop bears are NOT real, so don't worry about them. And make sure you do a tim-tam slam when you're here!

    Okay I'm dying to know what a drop bear is and what is a Tim-tam slam? I'm very excited to try that out!
  • ditch_doctor8503
    ditch_doctor8503 Posts: 17
    FunkenWagnel wrote: »
    I live in Australia, definitely come, you will love it :) My best advice is, don't panic if you think people are insulting you. We have a sense of humour that is off-putting to non Australians sometimes. So, if someone pats you on the shoulder and says, 'ow's it garn, dickhead??' with a smile, it means they like you. :p So, if you think someone is being rude or shocking, just check their face, you'll quickly work out if they're just having a lend of you.

    Thanks. I'm pretty open minded so I'll just roll with the punches :p
  • HelenWater
    HelenWater Posts: 232 Member
    ditch_doctor8503 wrote: »
    gmallan wrote: »
    Yep that'll cut down the price a lot. How long are you here for and where are you headed? The temperature in August will vary a lot depending on where you are going

    For now I'm headed to Port Augusta area. I would like to head to one more place near there.

    Do you know someone in Port Augusta?

    That is a great base to go to the Flinders Ranges. There is plenty of beautiful country to walk and cycle around there.

    Port Augusra itself is not really a tourist town.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    ditch_doctor8503 wrote: »
    FunkenWagnel wrote: »
    Oh! And my fellow Aussies will hate me for saying this, but drop bears are NOT real, so don't worry about them. And make sure you do a tim-tam slam when you're here!

    Okay I'm dying to know what a drop bear is and what is a Tim-tam slam? I'm very excited to try that out!

    Tim Tam Slam - from wikipedia

    The Tim Tam Slam (also known as the Tim Tam Shotgun, Tim Tam Bomb and Tim Tam Explosion) is the practice of drinking a hot beverage through a Tim Tam. Opposite corners of the Tim Tam are bitten off, one end is submerged in the beverage, and the beverage sucked through the biscuit. The crisp interior biscuit is softened and the outer chocolate coating begins to melt.

    P.s. tim tams > oreos :p
  • DeserveVictory
    DeserveVictory Posts: 133 Member
    Tim Tams are amazing. Forget calories for a minute and make sure you try one! If you like hot sauce, consider taking a little bottle of Franks or Tabassco sauce with you. The only hot sauce Sydney had while I was there was this strange chili sauce.

    PS - They sell Tim Tams in Canada now... but they just aren't the same...
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