About time for a weight loss related post...

Seeing as my last few posts have been about my garden, sustainability or the mental implications of losing/gaining weight, I figured it's probably about time that I actually checked in with something to do with MY weight loss!

 

Since Easter I have come off the rails a bit, but I actually kind of expected this and I am happy to say that I handled it much better than I have in the past.  Last year I made myself sick by eating so much chocolate, this year I still ate a decent amount of chocolate, but it was nothing in comparison to recent years.  I really think that the Weight Watchers mentality has really stuck this time, which is a great thing!!! Yes, I overate, not only at Easter, but for the month following, but overall I was only 900g up!  Which is nothing in the grand scheme of things, especially as in the past I have been able to put that on in a week, let alone in 4 weeks. It has really helped having the graph ticker (on the right, under "The Bigger Picture"), as I could see with each little gain, in the bigger picture, it was ok!

 

The truth is, I indulged but tried so hard not to go overboard. And I have come out of it feeling even more confident in my abilities to see this through this time.  Yesterday when I did the groceries I thought I would mix it up a bit and go to the butchers first and plan my meals that way, rather than going to the supermarket, looking at meal mixes and planning that way.  I actually think that by going to the butchers first I have managed to put together a healthier meal plan for the week. 

 

Now, I have just written a bit of a tangent, so I will save that for a new post (look for that one tonight lol) and keep this one focussed on my actual weight loss.

 

This week I focussed on tracking everything I ate, and trying to cook as many meals as possible.  It hasn't been great, but it has been better. I even had some farewell drinks as I was leaving one of my jobs and I am very happy to say that I have actually lost 500g this week! I was hoping to stay the same as I did go over on my points over the weekend, but this is a great loss to see!!

 

Uni is coming up to the exam period, so we will see how my eating goes then.  This time last year we decided to do Lite n' Easy just so we wouldn't have to cook, but  think that overall I am handling the uni side of things better... or at least I hope I am!

 

However, when uni is finished for the semester I will have 12 weeks off! I am so excited about that! I really feel that this time will be good for me to recharge my batteries, but I am also excited as I am planning on getting back into the exercise over this time, so hopefully it will also help with the weightloss, measurements and toning... as well as mental wellbeing! I will be going back to using the Wii again I think, but I am looking forward to setting myself that challenge.

 

I should also let you all know that I have made a slight change in my Weight Watchers journey.  Instead of doing the Unlimited option (online tools and meetings) I have dropped back to just the online tools.  This does save us a little money, but I also found that for me I am in a good space with it all and I have a great support group on a forum I am on. If I find that I do need that encouragement of a meeting I can always go back to the Unlimited option or even just pay meeting by meeting.

 

 

Getting it Done

So... this morning I still had issues with wanting to go to the gym, but I did make the commitment to go on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays... so I dropped Miss 4 to daycare and headed straight to the gym to just get it done.

Today I managed to hit my original target of 10 minutes on each of the treadmill, crosstrainer and bike!  So happy with that!!!  I was able to get into a good rhythm on the cross trainer - which is the one that I find the most difficult.  I had initially told myself that my goal would be to get to 6 minutes so that I would have improved on the last attempt, but I wasn't in pain and couldn't feel a lot of pressure so I kept going.  In truth, I probably could have done more than 10 minutes, but I got a little bored and I just didn't want to push it. I burned 365 calories, which I am also really happy with considering I wasn't pushing myself, just concentrating on having my knee over my toe and just getting it done. 

While I was on the bike one of the trainers came over to speak to me, and embarrassingly he asked me if I had just become a member.... I explained that I joined in July last year, but life had gotten in the way, and then the knee injury, so I hadn't really been in 6 months lol!  We also got talking about the knee injury and he asked me about the physio exercises and then we lined up an assessment for 8.30am on Thursday morning... so it looks like I am officially all in! lol  While I realise that in part he is probably looking for another person to sign up for PTs, I really appreciate that he came over to have a chat with me about my workout and seemed interested in my progress.

Now, I have also spoken to B about me taking Miss 4 to daycare on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays so that I will go to the gym straight after as I accept that one of my biggest challenges is just getting out of the house on days that I don't have to.  Which is a big tick for me as I recognised and found a solution to an excuse :)

Making Things "Easy"

B and I are time poor... we have lots on in our lives and generally aren't that great at managing it all - at least time wise. So, we have decided to cut out "one more thing" and have decided to go on Lite n' Easy for a couple of weeks.

I have used it in the past and I quite liked the food and the convenience of it all. One of the things I loved the most about it was (when I was single and living on my own) was the variety!  I found it so hard to have a good variety in my diet and stick to a budget.

We have decided to do lunches and dinners only, as breakfasts are generally pretty easy anyway.  I will be doing 7 days worth and B will do 5 days worth as he has work lunches that he attends.  We always have a family dinner at his parents on sunday nights, which means that my extra dinner will become his 6th, so in planning, it seems that it will work.

One aspect of starting LnE that I am really looking forward to is lunches!  I have become quite slack in getting my lunch sorted, and I have been buying my lunches when I am at uni or work. I was concerned about he money aspect of it all, because, let's face it, LnE isn't exactly cheap... and does cost more than a weekly grocery shop.  But when I actually sat down and thought about it, I realised that we were buying groceries, buying lunches and then having take out on top... so I think that we might actually save a little money... who would have thought!!

I also love that it is calorie controlled.  Now, I am proud to say that I haven't had chocolate since I made the commitment a few days ago, however, I still haven't really been counting my calories.  Last night was a special night out for B and I, so we did both splurge a bit, but this morning I did make a healthy breakfast choice, so that's a good sign I think.

For the next week we will be eating what we have in the pantry and freezer to make room for our LnE delivery, so I really don't think the next week will be the healthiest week... but I am ok with that... I am just so relieved to have something easy coming up... especially with my final exams being 3 weeks away!

I have mentioned before that I am not the greatest with eating fruit... and I remember having the best eating habits with LnE in the past... so I am looking forward to having a more balanced diet and more energy... with less stress!! For myself, I will be on the 1500 calorie plan, although if I exercised 3 times a week for up to 20 minutes LnE calculated that I should be on 1800 calories... while that sounds awesome, I don't think it's really for me, so for now I will be sticking to the 1500 calories. Calorie king currently has me set to 1640 calories, so this will be fine.

Also, I know I haven't popped in here with my weekly weigh in, but I lost 100 grams.  I am ok with this as my weight jumped up by 2kg during the week, so being under is a plus.

I am finally starting to feel like myself again... and I am loving it!  i am feeling more in control of my eating and my mindset, I'm not sure if it shows to others, but I love having my confidence back!!

I went down town and bought a couple of tops for winter, so it's just nice having clothes that fit and make me feel pretty - even if they are larger clothes... it really does a lot for the mindset!

Cracked it... and now it's really time to take action...

By cracked it, I don't mean that I have gone bonkers... I am actually refering to the fact that I now weigh over 100kg... yup... I weighed in yesterday at 100.5kg...

I have come to the realisation that Easter and I do not mix well together... especially in a (now) 3 person household where one is a chocoholic (that would be ME!), one non-chocoholic (B) and one who would be a chocoholic if we let her (Miss 3).  Basically, we got 3 peoples worth of chocolate and pretty much only me eating it... which is really not a good option...

So, last night I had a really good talk to myself (hmmm.... am I bonkers?!) and I have come to realise that I am honestly feeling more at peace with getting back onto the wagon and getting it going again.  I have also decided to come up with a list of healthy snacks (my downfall) and I will be continuing to use the Menu Planner app on my iPad as it has honestly made life easier for us.

This morning I measured myself for the first time in months, and I have to admit, I was more than a little astounded by the numbers that came up!

Week 1
Wednesday 18 April 2012

		Change	Total Loss
Weight:	100.5kg	n/a	n/a
Arm:	30.5cm	n/a	n/a
Bust:	116cm	n/a	n/a
Waist:	125cm	n/a	n/a
Hips:	126cm	n/a	n/a
Thigh:	73cm	n/a	n/a

I have come to the decision that it is time that I start putting myself out there 100%. Owning up to my stuff ups and celebrating the wins.  I am only human afterall!

So, I am very much a goal oriented person, and as B and I have been thinking about taking a holiday (like a cruise) for a while now (I mentioned it a few posts ago that it may be a bit of a reward) I have decided to aim towards that.  I have also come up with a few other goals/rewards to help me along.  Now, I have put away all of the remaining easter eggs, although I do know where they are, I am hoping to use them as more of a reward.  Now, I know that you shouldn't reward yourself with food, but I am hoping that having them there will help to teach me a bit of self control.

I have put together the following list of goals.  I have pinched this idea and format from Mandy over at Fearless, Fabulous, Female... and Forty!! (hope that's ok Mandy!) I may add to this list, as I go along, but at this stage, this is it:

	Heaviest Ever	100.5kg
	Goal Weight	74kg
WEIGHT	MINI GOAL DETAILS	STATUS
99.9	Back to the 90's
95.5	5kg and 5% lost
	Fit into my 'fat' pants comfortably
90.5	10kg and 10% lost
89.9	in the 80's
	Complete the C25K
89.6	Get to Overweight BMI of 29.9
	Size 14 clothes
85.5	15kg lost
	Run a 5km Fun Run
80.5	20 kg lost
79.9	Livin' in the 70's
	Size 12 clothes
75.5	25kg lost
74.6	Get to Healthy BMI of 24.9
** 74 **	GOAL
70.5	30kg lost
69.9	in the 60's

 

 

See - gym bag is packed and is in the car!

I am really missing exercising too... and I am so afraid of injuring my knee further, I have been avoiding it.  My physio has given me a few exercises to do (which I really should do! lol) and overally is really happy with my progress.  I think I find it a bit hard to go to the gym and sit on the bike or the cross trainer for only about 10 mins (as much as I can take at the moment.) - mostly I think it's frustrating, but I need to start somewhere I know. In fact, today I felt so motivated that I actually packed my gym bag and put it in the car!!  Now I just need to get my sorry arse to the gym! I have been meaning to pack it and have it ready in the car... have to admit I am a little proud I did it... baby steps!

You might remember a while ago I set myself the goal of running in 3 fun runs.  Well, 2 of them have gone, but the Mother's Day Classic is coming up and I have recieved my tag and number, and I really think that it will be a good thing to do.  Now, with my knee and my fitness levels at the moment, I won't be running, but I do want to do it - even though it will be the weekend before my exams start.

I am also wanting to get the winter veggie garden up and running, so over the next week I am planning on getting the patch ready and planted. Speaking of the garden, I cooked up some of the most delicious tomato relish the other day using this recipe and tomatoes from our garden.  We have started using a lot more of the veggies we have grown and it's so wonderful to know that we are eating fresh and that we have grown it ourselves!

Organised: My Favourite Word!

I am such a planner.  I love to be organised, or at least feel like I am organised.

I have been slowly adding recipes to my Menu Planner app for my iPad and I have been testing it out this week. So far, I have only planned our dinners, but doing this has really helped me mentally as it feels as though there is one less thing that I need to worry about.

When I did the groceries the other day, it was fantastic, as I took my iPad with me, opened up the app and everything I needed was there in a list for me.  The only thing I need to do is set which aisles the products are in as this will save even more time.  I can even add in the prices of the product so that I an get an idea of what our next grocery shop will cost - I love this kind of stuff!

I was able to tick off each item as I put it into the trolley, and as I had already culled the list with what I had in the pantry or in the garden, it made my shopping list much more compact and easy to work through. 

Sure, there were a few things that were added to my trolley that weren't on the list, but this is normal, and I will be adding these items into the app so that we can have a complete list of grocery items (it allows you to add in the nonfood items too!)

I have also emailed the meal plan to B, and he has access to the recipes for the plans online, so it makes it much easier to be able to have everything ready to go.

I am kind of looking forward to planning next weeks meals and going shopping for them again.  Only this time I think I will be trying to make note of what aisles the products are in to make it much easier later on down the track.

First weigh in day

Well, today is my first weigh in since last Friday, when everything started to change.

Since my meltdown, I started up my list of 10 key points that I wanted to focus on.  It hasn't been a full week yet, but things are definitely looking up.  I am feeling much more in control of things (everything really, not just my weight and health, but also uni and life in general) and I feel like I have really hit a turning point in my mindset.  Overall, I am just feeling happier and not so down.

I have been sticking to my allotted calorie intake set by Calorie King - which is 1670 calories. I know this will seem excessive to the 12WBTers, but this is something that has worked well for me in the past, and as I mentioned in my earlier post, I am trying to take a lot of pressure off myself, while still doing something about my weight. 

I haven't done any exercise, although I have been thinking about it a lot.  What has held me back has been a few things.  The main thing has been that I have been really sick for the last week - I almost lost my voice! haha!  The other reasons have been uni inspired.  I have an exam on Friday, and I also have a report due on Monday.  I have to admit that I am still feeling quite calm about both of these, even though I am feeling behind in my work.

So, I guess now that I am feeling better about it all, I figured I may as well tell you all what weight I reached - my highest weight ever.  Last Friday, I weighed in at 99.9kg!  I realise that other people have weighed more than me, but for me this was a huge blow.  Admittedly it was only 900g over my initial weight all those years ago, but seeing it 100g off a triple digit figure is quite heartbreaking after losing so much weight.

Anyway... onto today's weigh in!!  This morning I jumped on the scales, and from last Friday, I have lost 1.8kg!! I am so happy with that!! I know that it's quite normal to have a couple of big losses initially, but I am actually aiming to lose about 500g a week.  I think that this will take me about a year to do, but I know that I can do it, because I have done it before.

I have been modifying the layout of my blog over the the last couple of days so that the pieces of information are easier to find.  I had decided to get rid of the little goal tickers along the side of my blog, but I have just created a graph one to track my weightloss.  I have set my goal to 74kg. This will get me to a healthy BMI.  I do think that I will probably try and get to 69kg, although I have to say that this will depend on how I am feeling about my weight. 

I have always maintained that I don't care what I weigh when I get to goal, I basically just want to be a size 12 again.  My reasoning for this is that  muscle weighs more than fat (example: At a similiar weight 4 years ago, I looked much fatter and I was in a much larger size.  My shape now is different to then because of how I have shaped my body and muscles due to exercise) and I think that measurements are a much more accurate way of measuring weightloss success.

Task 7: Organise & Diarise

Ok... here we are!

This is my favourite part of the pre season tasks - planning!!

Luckily for me, I have had my upcoming schedule booked in for a couple of weeks now as I am now at uni and definitely need to plan my life to avoid catastrophe!

I have created a pic of my schedule (below) - please try not to be scared (as I am!!) at how full it is.  I have had to fit in uni, work and my workouts into my week as well as taking some time out for me (saturday mornings).  It all looks a little chaotic, but I really hope that it's doable.  I have spent every moment of my free time in the last week dedicated to studying and I'm not yet where I would like to be! Hopefully the exercise and healthier foods will help my concentration levels!

To keep it simple, basically all of the purple are my workouts :)

Milestones

So, another part of this task is to come up with a 4, 8 and 12 week milestone.  Luckily for me, there are 3 fun runs in Canberra around those times!!

Week 4 - Sri Chinmoy 4km Fun Run/Walk - 12th March 2012

Week 8 - ActewAGL Women's & Girls 5km Fun Run/Walk - 1st April 2012

Week 12 - Mother's Day Classic 5km Fun Run - 13th May 2012

This one will be the BIG one - I have actually signed up to do the run!!!! (You can sponsor me below by clicking on the picture if you would like to)

I also have no excuses for not doing them, as I have already signed up to the Sri Chinmoy and the MDC.  I would have signed up to the other one as well, but their registrations aren't open yet.

Can't believe I want to be a runner... lol!

Going Back To School

I have been thinking about writing about this topic for months, but I just never actually did it.

Next week I start (another) new phase in my life - university on campus.

A few years ago, I lost quite a bit of weight after finding out from my doctor what I was doing to my body (you can read a little more on my history here).  I found that I loved what I was doing.  I was losing weight, I was taking control of my life!

I had lost over 20kg from eating right and exercising.  Sure it took a while, but I was learning so much!  On more than one occasion I had friends and family tell me to do a shake diet because "you will lose weight faster" - somehow with as little as I knew at the time, I was able to recognise the fact that I wouldn't be able to sustain my weight, let alone learn anything about living a healthy lifestyle.  I had to learn to like fruit and veggies, I needed to learn that not everything out of a packet was good for you and I needed to learn how to read nutritional labels properly.

All of a sudden, friends and family were asking me for advice on how to lose weight (although a few didn't like the "eat healthy and exercise" message! haha!) and I really enjoyed helping people... which lead me to decide to go to university to become a dietician.

Admittedly, it was a hard decision to make... in one sense I felt that I wasn't worthy enough to become a dietician as I didn't feel that my diet was 'perfect' as well as the fact that I hadn't reached goal weight yet.  My friends encouraged me to enrol, as no one's diet will ever be perfect and did it really matter that I wouldn't be the skinniest girl in the class?! Even now, yes, I have put on quite a bit of weight recently, but I need to realise that this does not make me an inferior person and it is ok that I am studying nutrition.

So, I enrolled by distance through Charles Sturt University.  Over the next 18 months I completed a couple of subects, but I found that working full time and studying part time with intensive labs was far too stressful and after talking with B, it was decided that I would switch it around... so as of 2012 I will work part time and study full time at the University of Canberra!

To be honest, I am quite nervous about it all.  I haven't been a full time student for 7 years and it will be interesting to see with how I cope with it all.  I think at the moment my biggest fear is that I will struggle to understand the subject material and that I will be unable to retain that knowlege.  However, I won't know until I try!

Overall I am really looking forward to being able to do this. I miss being a student and I have never been to university, I have only studied at places like TAFE and CIT. I think that this year will be a great adventure!!

So, my subjects for this semester are:

1. Concepts in Biology
2. Chemistry 1A
3. Regional Anatomy & Physiology
4. Psychology 101

One of my biggest challenges during this round of the 12WBT will be managing my time. I hace decided that my workouts will be in the mornings, and I will have uni 2 days a week as well as working 3 days a week. During the other 2 days I will be catching up on lectures and other uni work as well as trying to find some time for myself.  I have spent a couple of hours this morning putting together my calendars to be able to work out my schedule, and so far, it's looking good!

Facing Fears and Busting Excuses

It's been a couple of days since I blogged, but you will be happy to know that it's because I have been busy exercising, planning and facing fears.

As you are aware, I have decided that I want to start exercising in the mornings... Well, yesterday morning I woke up and had the usual "get ******! I'm going back to sleep!" thoughts but then I started thinking "if you don't start now, when will you?" and "just do it!".... but I have to say that the one that got to me the most was telling a friend of mine whom I have made a commitment to that "I couldn't be bothered!"  The idea of doing that got me out of bed quick smart!

To be fair, I really wasn't in the mood for the gym, but here is brainwave #1 - I didn't have to go to the gym... I could workout at home... I certainly have enough here!  There is the treadmill, the exercise DVD's, the exercise games on the Xbox (or the Wii), there are boxing pads and mitts and even a skipping rope!  And even if all that fails, I can go outside for a walk! So, that's what I did!  I got up, made a coffee and got ready... then I put on Mish's Cardio Shredder DVD.  I only did about 15 minutes before I got a little bored, but I hadn't done enough, so I switched over to the Xbox... where I did skipping, punching, running and tai chi! We had an early appointment which I had forgotten about at the start of my workout (good thing I didn't go to the gym!), so when I stopped, I had burned 412 calories. Not bad for someone who "couldn't be bothered"!



Not the best pic, but you get the idea...



Today was action packed!  It's my day off and I spent most of it on the go! Once again I woke up not wanting to go to the gym and I was so exhausted from the lsat 3 days worth of exercise and movement, so I told myself that I would go swimming instead... and you know what?! I did!! As you may have read previously, I have a fear of swimming, or more importantly, of putting my head under the water.  However, I have decided that this year I will face my fears! I also had an ulterior motive - I wanted to test out my HRM in the water... sadly the HRM wouldn't work... so I have no idea how many calories I burned, but I can tell you now, I worked my arse off!! (According to Mish I burned 180 calories - cos I was only swimming for about 15 minutes) I went to the larger outdoor pool, and I managed 3 laps! (Thats 150m people!!)  It doesn't sound like much, but it is 2 more laps than I thought I would be able to do.  I was hoping that I would be able to do some swimming lessons, but the local pool is booked out and I have been struggling to find alternate places (btw - is it so hard to return a phone call (or 4!) Tuggeranong Pool?!), so I have decided to give it a go on my own for now. (For the record, I also went to the dentist today - that's another fear!)

To help me get prepared, I have started cooking up some meals to freeze so that I can have them waiting for me in the freezer for those days (and nights!) that I can't be bothered cooking because it's too late, or that I am so hungry I would eat anything!  I made up some Basil & Mushroom Risotto and some Lentil Bolognese with Spagetti.  Tomorrow I will be cooking some more, but it won't be one of Mish's meals, it will be from Symply Too Good To Be True.

So, I think that is about all for me for now... I will be posting up some goals for my Pre Season Task 3 as soon as I do them!

Ok.... I'm back!

It feels like it has been so long since I have written in here, and I will be honest, I have been hiding.  I became a little lost... well, completely lost...

First off, I want to say a massive thank you to my wonderful boyfriend.  He has done everything in his power to help me and to give me as much support as I could possibly want or need.  I know that I honestly wouldnt be here, in Week 12, without him at my side. Thank you B! Love you! xxx

The other night I had a bit of a melt down about my results for this round.  I know that I haven't done as well as I could have, and I perhaps didn't push myself as much as I should have.  I am in no way against the program, and I honestly believe and know that it works.  In this instance, I am disapointed in myself, and for me, that is probably the worst thing.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I don't like failing, breaking promises and in general being let down - either by myself or by someone else.

B pointed out the other night that I have had a lot of  big life changes going on over the last 6 months or more, and that I have done well to stick with the program as much as I have.... while I do think that this is fair enough, I am worried that maybe it is an excuse, and that I should have been able to take it all on and still have been able to exercise, because, let's face it, things come up all the time in life. I mean, what is going to be different compared with all of the things that will come up in the next few months?  I will still have to deal with them, and I will still have to try and make it work... Can I really do this?

As I mentioned, I had a heartfellt talk with B, and I think that the only way I would actually fail at this, is if I stopped - and I don't want to stop, because I am not happy with my body shape, energy levels or health prospects at the moment.

As Mish says "What are your alternatives?!" If I quit now, nothing will change - I won't lose weight, or tone up if anything, I would probably get bigger - which is not really an option.

So, while technically Round 3 has finished, I don't want this to be the end.  I want to continue on and keep going.   Things have changed considerably lately.  I have started my new job, which comes with more time at this stage (although I am wanting to take on a few more shifts before uni starts) and right now I am just trying to get into some kind of routine at the moment... I have to admit that I am still feeling a little stressed out about all the changes - which seems strange as it should be much easier for me now...  Once I catch up on everything that I have neglected lately, I hope that I can settle in for a little study time for uni so that I can understand a few things before classes start.

I have started thinking about what I want to achieve before the next round of the 12WBT (Preseason starts 16 January) as well as some longer term goals.  This is what I have so far:

• I want to be able to run for a whole kilometer
• I want to be able to do 60 push ups
• I want to get into the overweight category (about 3kg-ish to go)
• I want to consistently exercise
• I want to get fit enough to move up in the categories so that I can do Lean & Strong

One thing I realised the other night was that when I first started to lose weight in 2007, was that I didn't believe that I could lose weight, so I just focused solely on the exercise, and just made sure that I did half an hour (on my exercise bike, at home, watching the Biggest Loser) 6 nights a week, and tried to not eat processed foods. In retrospect, it seems so simple, but I am sure at the time, it wasn't.  Without realising it I was actually in the JFDI mentality - and I just need to get back there again.  I think that the key is to not get overwhelmed, just take it day-by-day and only looking ahead a week at a time.

I honestly have no idea how I can do this!  I don't know how to keep things simple and to focus on exercise rather than weight loss - any tips??

Right now, my thoughts are running towards exercising in the morning - it is always there, it's always before the day actually starts, and I already have B's previous offer of getting up with me (and making me coffee) to help me by making sure I get up and ready for the gym (I'm not a morning person... lol)  I am also thinking that I might stick with doing the gym machine workout, rather than the classes.  It is something that I can always do, and something that won't depend on the gym's class timetable.  Plus, in this workout set, I can also do the learn to run program.

Speaking of running - I used an app on my phone to track the length of the oval I have been running around is actually only 275m so, I wasn't running for long enough.  On the up side, now I can make sure that my time trial is accurate :)

Also, just quickly, the end of round workout and finale party is on this weekend.  I have to admit I am nervous about keeping up, but in a way, I am excited too.  I still havent decided which dress to wear yet, but it should be a good weekend away.  I am so glad that I will have B with me - as I said before he has supported me the whole way through - I think the least I can do is get him drunk with me as a reward lol!

Anyway, so that's where I am at the moment.  If anyone is still reading this blog, I would welcome your comments and opinions :)

Readjusting Goals

Well, I'm feeling a little more together now, so I thought I would take a quick look at my goals, and readjusting them as needed.

1 month goals (Week 4)

1. Lose 6 kg
   Didn't reach this goal - however I did lose 3.8kg! Almost 1kg a week!
2. Stay on plan with food and exercise
   I am going to count this as a tick.  I didn't binge or have a massive blow out.  Sometimes I might not have eaten according to Mish's plans, but I tried hard to stay within calories.
3. Start exercising in the mornings
   Nope - this didn't happen at all... unless you count Saturday mornings before Stitch and Bitch.... hmmmm well, maybe I will count that as a tick then...
4. Do more core exercises - don't be afraid!
   Hmmmmm.... I am still afraid!!! I do try to do them more than I ever did during classes, but I don't think this is enough
5. Try new classes (like boxing)
   Tried boxing, Active, Groove, Power and Centergy.  Not a big fan of boxing, but that's only because I'm not quite fit enough for it lol
6.  Go on a hike in a National Park
   Doing this on the weekend!!! I am actually really excited about it!! Hope it doesn't rain!  This will be happening at the very end of Week 4, so still in the timeframe.  Can't wait to blog about it!

** NEW GOALS**

1 month goals (Week 8)

1. Lose 4 kg - stick with the goal of 1 kg a week
2. Stay on plan with food and exercise and plan out our meals in advance
3. Go paddle boating on Lake Burley Griffin
4. Look into the core exercises and how they are done.  Come up with a plan to do them at home as well. Use the fitball to help (pump up the one at home)
5. Try to get to the gym more often - I have had too many sick days (genuine, but still)
6. Start taking a multi-vitimin so you aren't so sick all the time
7. Find a new job so I'm not so stressed - this does have an impact on the 12WBT
8. Do the fun run at the end of October
9. Run 1km without stopping
10. Burn off 11,200 calories in 4 weeks.  (That is 400 calories per day - I think I will build up to the 500, and this will stop putting pressure on me)
11. Lose another 17cm from my measurements

3 Months (Week 12)

1. Lose 12 kg (ticker updated)
2. Run 3km without stopping
3. Fit into my work uniform
4. Burn 28,000 calories (ticker updated)
5. Lose 50cm total from my measurements
6. Have a waist measurement of under 100cm
7. Up my weights in pump class to 3.75kg for upper body and 5kg for lower body
8. Have a stronger core and be able to do the plank on my toes.

Task 7: Organise and Diarise

Here is task 7 (yes, I know, before task 6 is completed! lol).  This task is built on from my commitment task where I have to commit to my exercise plans by organising and diarising my time for exercising - 6 times a week where I need to burn 500 calories each time except one day where I need to burn 1000 calories to make up for my 1 day off.  I have had a look at my gym schedule for classes, as I find that I tend to work out harder in a class than I do on my own, however that said, if it comes to it, I am prepared no, committed to working out at home or on the gym floor if needs be.

Below, is my ideal workout schedule, however I haven't tried all of these classes before, so if I don't like one, I may need to reorganise it all.  I also need to make sure that what I have planned will work with my friend who I am doing the 12WBT with, so we have decided that after Saturday's Centergy class, we will get a coffee and look at our upcoming week to make sure that we can work with each other.  To start with, Michelle has laid out our workouts as:

• 3 days of Fitness
• 2 days of Toning
• 1 day of light fitness, core and stretch

I have managed to work it out as follows:

	AM	PM
Monday:	Hook Up
Tuesday:		Group Power
Wednesday:	Centergy	Group Step
Thursday:		Group Kick
Friday:	Group Power
Saturday:	Centergy

Fitness

Toning

Light

As well as the regular exercise component, there is also needing to look at milestones at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks.  I have set these to correspond with my goals as follows:

• 4 weeks - go for a bushwalk in a national park
• 8 weeks - go paddle boating
• 12 weeks - undecided 

As you can see, I don't have a milestone at this stage for my 12 week mark.  Some people are setting marathons, some are using the end of round workout with Michelle, but for me, I really like the idea of doing something I have always wanted to do, but never done, whether it's because I have been too big, not had anyone to do it with or just sheer laziness.  Once it is locked into the calendar, that's it!  I have even been trying to narrow it down even more and pick which bushwalk to do!  Michelle does say to make it specific! lol So, it has been decided that I will do the Devil's Gap walk at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (here is a pdf of the walking tours).  It is 6km, at 2 hours (moderate level) and this is what the brochure has to say about it:

A short but steep walk up the fire trail through dry mountain eucalypt forest. The walk ends at the boundary gate and returns along the same trail.

I can't believe I am about to say this, but I am pumped to do this challenge, and you know what?! I have diarised it for Sunday 9th September to do with my awesome partner.

I was a little concerned that the paddleboating milestone wouldn't be 'enough' and that maybe it was too much of a reward than a milestone/challenge, but my boyfriend assured me that it's a definite workout and can be quite hard to do!  So, all those pump classes should come in handy at this point in time as I will really need my legs for this.  I have added this to my calendar for Saturday 5th November.



The other thing that needs to be added to the diary are the red flag days. These are days where something is on, such as a party, or travelling or something which can trip you up.  The point of doing this is to ensure that these days don't become a major blow out and to teach us to prepare for events like this by either modifying our eating patterns or adding in an additional exercise - or both!  For me, I am quite lucky in the sense that I don't really have anything planned.  All of the family birthday's are done, Christmas isn't until after the 12WBT, and the only thing that we currently have locked in is a trip up to Sydney for the Harry Potter Exhibition in November, so I have asked my boyfriend when we go up there if we can try to get a hotel with a gym, or I might actually just get a casual pass for a gym up there. The other alternative is that I might fit in an extra workout before we go up, that way I won't need to worry about it at all over the weekend.

Well, this post definitely turned into a novel, but is was SO FUN to plan and organise it all!!  I can't wait to do my bushwalk now!!!  Better get to the gym and start getting fitter!!

Growing Our Own Food

Yesterday and today my partner and I have been buying up a storm to be able to grow our own herbs and veges. We have both always wanted a herb garden, and I have always loved the idea of being able to grow my own food (even if I am still learning to love veges lol)

Anyway, so we have grown foods that that either we both enjoy or that one of us enjoys (eg he loves tomatos and i cant stand them, and I love beans and he hates them lol)

So, as we are renting a town house at the moment, I have done a bit of research based off what I have read here on the forums (there has beent he most amazing advice for growing stuff on here!) and I also found The Little Vegie Patch Co Book at Big W the other night and I have found it GREAT to learn what I need to be doing - and it's Australian so it's all about gardening here!

So, we go the 3 year old out helping us (we also got her some pink flowers which are 'hers') and we have explained that we are going to water the plants to feed them and when they are big we can plant them and put them in our dinner. She was so excited!!

So, we have planted

• snow peas
• oregano
• spring onions
• leek
• tomato
• beans
• capsicum
• carrot
• broccolini
• spinach
• lettuce
• coriander
• basil
• thyme
• garlic

I also had the share the pics below of Miss 3 - the first is her helping us. The second is of her sulking after we told her off for "unplanting" the broccolini with the spade lol 

Task 3: Take Control - Set Your Goal

(Updated)
I have been a little lagging in getting this post up, mostly because I have really struggled with setting some goals this time around.  I don't know why I have struggled so much with this as I am a goal oriented person, but I think it's because (and I am being totally honest here), I wonder if I really can achieve them... I have set myself so many goals in the past, and I have struggled to reach them as I usually lose focus or go off track with my eating.

On one hand, I know that an all or nothing approach doesn't work, as you tend to binge, but on the other, how do you make sure that you are able to 'treat' yourself without going completely in the opposite direction??  This is something that I struggle with all the time because as soon as I let myself 'treat' myself with a chocolate or something, i just keep 'treating' myself until all of a sudden those 20kg have crept back on...

I need to change my mindset that I am not missing out on anything, that I am choosing this way of life.  I just don't know how to stop when it comes to food that I love... other than just cutting it out completely.  I do remember when I initially lost weight, I didn't have chocolate for 6 months, and by the end of it I didn't actually need chocolate, but one day I thought, why not?! and that was that... I brought it back into my life...

Where is my will power, and will it stay?

Anyway, onto goal setting, I have been thinking long and hard about what I want to achieve, and it has been really hard to figure out what I want and how to harness that into a motivator, but these are some of the things that I have come up with:

1 Month
Goals

1. Lose 6 kg
2. Stay on plan with food and exercise
3. Start exercising in the mornings
4. Do more core exercises - don't be afraid!
5. Try new classes (like boxing)
6.  Go on a hike in a National Park

How will I get there:

• Follow 12WBT program
• Do what Michelle tells me
• Make sure I visit the gym
• Go to bed earlier to get up earlier
• Talk with B about helping me out where needed
• Do more classes at the gym, like core and boxing 
•  Organise a trip out to the National Park

3 Months
Goals

1. Lose 15 kg
2. Run 3km without stopping
3. Fit into my work uniform
4. Go Paddleboating on Lake Burley Griffin
5. WIN 12WBT!!!!! (just putting it out there - I would love to win whatever category I am in! lol)
6. Burn 40,000 calories
7. Have a waist measurement of under 100cm
8. Up my weights in pump class to 3.75kg for upper body and 5kg for lower body
   

How will I get there:

• Follow 12WBT program
• Do what Michelle tells me
• Make sure I visit the gym
• Follow the running program
• Organise a trip out to the lake and hire a paddleboat.  Work out enough to be able to handle the energy required.
• Do core exercises and cardio to get a flatter tummy 
• Continue to go to pump classes and up the weights after 6-8 weeks

6 Months
Goals

1. Get to my goal weight of 74kg or a size 12
2. Wear a bikini on our holiday to Port Douglas
3. Swim in the great Barrier Reef
4. Walk in the Daintree Rainforest
5. Be trim, toned and curvy - not bumpy
6. Have a pin up photo shoot
7. Have a waist measurement of under 80cm
8. Fit into my size 12 netball uniform

How will I get there:

• Sign up for the next round of 12WBT program
• Do core exercises and cardio to get a flatter tummy 

12 Months
Goals

1. Maintain my healthy weight and lifestyle and prepare my body for having children
2. Be able to run a full game of netball

How will I get there:

• Continue to go to the gym and eat healthily by eating plenty of fruit and veges
• Continue with the running program

Well, I definitely expanded that goal list!! lol

Task 2: Get Real - No More Excuses

I have been thinking really hard about everything I tell myself about why I don’t exercise or eat right, and I am amazed by how long it is!! I started it last night, and as I have thought of more I have come back to continually update it. I thought I would share some of mine with you:

• I don’t enjoy exercise
  - Not all exercise is grunting and moaning – find the fun stuff to do!

• I get dizzy in the mornings if i exercise too hard
  - Eat something beforehand to give you energy – like a protein bar or something (note to self – find a good protein bar lol)

• I always quit – why will this be different
  - This program gets results, you have seen it! This program offers a lot more support and Mish is going to be around to kick your arse!! The people on the forums will also be around to support you – be as open and honest as you possibly can and you WILL SUCCEED!!!

• I can’t go to the gym today, it’s going to hurt and I’ll be too tired and tomorrow (pinched this one from someone else on the forum – thank you for reminding me that I use it too lol)
  - seriously?! you are TIRED now! It might hurt or feel a bit sore and stiff tomorrow, but how HOT are you going to look?! You can’t get the body you want by sitting around on the lounge eating chocolate and watching Stargate!

• It’s too much effort to go to the gym
  - The gym is on the same street as your work – you drive past it in the mornings AND the afternoons – suck it up princess and move it!

• I should be cleaning/cooking instead of working out
  - You don’t live on your own anymore, you have a supportive partner who has no issues with cooking or cleaning

• I have to be home in time to let The Boyfriend in to the garage (only one remote)
  - give him the remote and tell him you will be late home (also told him this excuse last night and he said that wasn’t gonna fly and he was gonna get another remote done up today lol)

• I deserve to have chocolate because I work hard
  - You have a chocolate addiction – when you don’t eat it, you don’t want it! You don’t need the chocolate to make you feel better and in the long run, it won’t because it will be a step backwards from your goal. When you eat 2 serves of fruit a day you don’t have the same sugar cravings because you are satiated.

• I need to knit to relax (yes, I am a knitter lol)
  - who says you can’t have both? you might not be able to knit as much, but you can make it work – try exercising in the mornings – you can have the nights to knit.

• Working out too much stresses me
  - have a plan. Know what you want to achieve out of each session. Follow Michelle’s plan – it works! Plan it into your schedule/routine and stick with it!

• I cant say no to chocolate/food
  - self control is not a bad thing. You have done it before. Find foods that you love that you look forward to eating. Plan ahead for parties and such so that you know what you can have.

• I still don’t really like fruit and veges
  - I have learned to like LOTS of new foods, including fruit and veges – this list will continue to grow as I try more things and change the way foods taste as I am eating healthier.

• I can’t exercise in the mornings, I need sleep
  - Go to bed earlier! Just an hour or half an hour – get into a routine where you read in bed for half an hour or so – you know that as soon as you get into bed you will be sleepy

• I don’t have anything to wear
  - Why do you need to be a fashionista at the gym?! You have a hot spunky man – you don’t need to impress anyone other than him or yourself – you are not going to the gym to look got there – you are going to look hot from all the work that you are putting in! As long as you have the basics, you are fine.

These are just some of mine, some of them I found really silly when I actually realised the were there – the sad thing is that I am sure I will be finding more excuses over the next few days to add to my list.

12 Week Body Transformation - Round 3

You may have heard recently about Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT), I know of a few people who have been talking about it, including a friend of mine who has recently lost almost 16kg in the 12 week program.

Now, anyone who knows me, will know that I am not into fad diets.  I have never done one, and will always refuse to do one... This program takes a holistic approach to losing weight and becoming healthy - mentally, physically and nutritionally.

I have always had this program in the back of my head - from when the very first announcement was made, but never really thought I could do it, mostly because it does look a little rigid in the meal plans and to be completely honest - I was scared of how much the workouts were going to hurt! afterall, it's Michelle Bridges!!!

Anyway, that little spiel brings me to my next little announcement -  

I HAVE SIGNED UP!!!

That's right - I signed up yesterday! After talking to my friend who did it, and another of my friends (as well as the boyfriend) for their opinions, I decided to just bite the bullet!  The final decision was made when I told my friend "I'm scared of failing", to which the reply was:

"Your not scared of failing, because its what you are already doing. It's success your scared of."

Basically, I am already failing, because I have put the weight back on, and it's true - I am scared of success... but I am hoping that with all of the "mind work" I will need to do that I can overcome this and stop sabotaging myself.  I am taking this program 100% serious.  I am dedicated to doing all of the preseason tasks to the best of my ability, I will do everything that Michelle tells me to do and I will try all kinds of new foods!  I will even eat the foods I'm not that fond of (such as tomatoes) in the hopes that one day I will learn to like them

Last night, I was going through my Crunch Time book, and realised that I had forgotten that I actually have a signed copy - that's right, I have met Michelle Bridges (pic below).  Looking back, I have to say that out of her and Shannon, I always preferred Shannon, but I think that's actually because I knew I wouldnt be able to get away with anything with Michelle... and believe me - I would try!  So, I am saying here and now, that during this process I am going to try my hardest to be completely honest with you all, it won't be easy, and I am hoping that I will be able to recognise when I am lying to myself and to you all as well - so please, pull me up on it!

This pic was actually taken when I was about 10kg lighter... gosh I really don't like my hips! lol

So anyway, I think thats about it for now, I think I will post all about my preseason tasks here as well as general updates and what not.  I hope that those of you reading will enjoy this blog and join in on this journey with me!

Oh and a little side note, I am considering doing a little bit of a video blog too, so let me know if you think I should - although if I do this blog will become private and people will have to request to follow it, just to allow me to feel not so silly lol.