Round 1 again a year later still transforming

It's has been a year since I started my weightloss journey with Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation

It's funny that when I started I was hoping to LOSE weight and that was it...maybe because I didn't know about the other world....the world of fit people and the things they do, the things they wear and the gadgets that they have, a whole new world which I am now a part of and OH!! MY the things you can buy (big hole in the pocket for this addicted shopper)

I have definitely achieved what I have set out to do and that was to lose weight. I have now shed about 42kgs give or take a couple as I haven't weighed myself for about 4 weeks, the last round I did was kind of donation as I don't think I followed the program at all, but in the last 12 weeks I have joined a runclub with the running whisperer Kaz from Mind, Body, Motion and I will get around to setting goals for my running which I ABSOLUTELY LOVE LOVE LOVE, I never would have thought a year ago I would be part of a run club, I have spent $350 on a Garmin 210 (one of those new gadgets I been introduced to that fit people have.... )

Where have you been all my life Garmin??

I still get outside and think I'm not going to be able to run, I wonder when my brain will catch up and get with the times that I'm a runner!

I have joined a self defence class of kickboxing and self defence which I like to call FIGHT CLUB, unfortunately the first rule with fight club is you can't talk about fight club, oops rules are meant to be broken... I LOVE Fight Club! Mainly cause hitting shit is fun.

I'll be swinging through the treetops in a couple of weeks at treetops adventure park with some 12wbters that I have met in the last 12 weeks and a couple of school mum's I'm pulling into this new world (inserts evil laugh)

I am paddle boarding next weekend with those same school mums, this freaks me out a little as I have never entertained this idea but the JUST BECAUSE I CAN part of me said yes...

And today I did the color run with my almost 6 year old son (time does fly) and what a fantastic time we had, the most fantabulous 5km I have ever run and I'm ready to register again for next year.

so even though I donated last round..without it I wouldn't be part of this new world that I love so much and I wouldn't have LOST that weight even though technically I gained a couple of kilos last time I weighed in, which doesn't phase me because even though I started to LOSE weight, I'm never going to find that weight again, my life now is no longer idle and I eat to fuel my body rather than eat because I can or because I'm bored or because I'm sad or angry (save that emotion for fight club shhh!)
I have joined for one last round of 12wbt just to make sure these habits are for good and I'm not tricking myself as I have done in the past... But I think after a year I'm going to be ok...just one more 12 week round to put the icing on the cake as they say and maybe pay it forward, encourage a few people to change their lives to be part if this new world that really is so much fun.

Time flies by....3 months have past

I have been writing Headings of posts as reminders to write posts for the last 3 months and now I can't remember what I wanted to write....

That was 3 months ago and I have great headings of
Turning Inner Demons to Fairies ....
How I perceive myself....
Listen to my inner self...
Can be f**ked times are starting to outweigh Can't be f**cked times...

Well I think just by writing those headings at the time has helped me in some way or another, I know I have talked about some or all of these with a few friends and when I read the headings I'm not really compelled to elaborate.

So I'm back to write again in the present and today marked Week 6 weigh in Round 3, 2012 of 12wbt.

I am officially as the doctors would say plain old "overweight" ..... no longer morbidly obese or obese..
I have lost 38kgs since the 18th January 2012

Last night I walked down my hallway and I felt "light" this is the first time I can ever remember actually feeling light on my feet.

I have been noticing things that don't happen anymore..

The floorboards don't creak walking down my hallway
My back never aches
My ankles don't hurt when I stand up
I have no hesitation in walking ANYWHERE or any distance

I have realised tonight I don't complain about much at all anymore..  Being overweight had not just affected my physical health it affected my mental health and stopped me from doing things I didn't know I wanted to do

The I can's are starting to outweigh the I cant's
everything seems easy
anything is possible.....

Meet and Greets

I went to a meet up tonight with some fellow 12wbt Sydneysiders for dinner. We had a great dinner and catch up, I also got to meet some new people that I hadn't met. After tonight it got me thinking about the forums and facebook pages and support in the 12wbt program and I do think this is a key part to the success alot of people have with it. The invaluable chit chat of really knowing there is someone else out there like you in the same boat that you can connect with that has done or thought what you have.

Someone that has driven thru one if not two or three drive thru fast food outlets before and ordered an array of food only to sit in the car and inhale eveything then feel guilty later and wanting to throw up... But not throwing up because you either don't want to waste the money that was just spent ordering and eating all that food or just not wanting to go down that path of having an "eating disorder" because clearly you don't have one already. I know I have been guilty of it. It's actually comforting to know that we aren't that unique and there is always someone else trying to overcome their demons to be the best version of themselves. So I put this to you, If you are doing the 12wbt program and haven't met up with some of the other members make it one of you goals to step outside you comfort zone and give it a go, you may be pleasantly surprised it could be the key to your success!

100 things that are great about my life and me

I have been challenged by a friend we shall call affectionately #frigginprincess to list 100 things that is great about my life and me.

It has taken me 2 days to finish my list. I now challenge anyone who reads this to make a list. I guarantee it will make you think of what is important to you!

1. best friends ( u know who u are)
2. Stephen (husband)
3. Cooper and Violet (kids)
4. My shrinking friends from 12wbt
5. I have my health
6. I can run
7. Wednesday walks around the bay
8. Going to finale in Perth
9. 12wbt
10. I'm shrinking
11. I can finally buy pretty bras (sz 12)
12. Smell of wattle
13. Birthdays
14. Smelling jasmine flowers
15. Hot shower after training
16. Writing my blog
17. My new gym
18. My family
19. My job
20. My work colleagues
21. I can do cartwheels
22. I love my bed
23. Group SSS (super Saturday sessions)
24. My iPhone
25. I no longer have a sore back
26. Peppermint tea
27. Helping at my sons school
28. Singstar
29. Reading tarots
30. Training
31. Swimming with my kids
32. Dinner at my aunty carols
33. My nan
34. I'm honest
35. Trustworthy
36. My dimples
37. cooper has the same dimples
38. My hair
39. My skin
40. Hand made Noodles
41. painting
42. I can drive
43. My teeth
44. Zumba classes
45. I'm intelligent
46. A good sneeze
47. Feather pillows
48. Dancing
49. Board games
50. My photos
51. Registered for city to surf
52. Holidays
53. Skiing
54. My new runners
55. Stretching
56. Fitness tests
57. Coffee
58. Books
59. iPad
60. Amazing people I have met
61. Our house
62. My doona
63. Movies
64. Christmas
65. Easter
66. being in a Michelle Bridges video
67. Snuggles in bed with my kids
68. Buying clothes from normal stores
69. Achieving my goals
70. I now have collar bones
71. My veins in my legs are disappearing
72. My 2 stomachs are becoming 1
73. I'm a good mum
74. I can walk upstairs without getting puffed
75. Sashimi
76. Country air
77. Horse riding
78. My school friends
79. Parties
80. Fancy dress
81. beautiful clothes
82. eBay
83. Crossfit
84. I'm generous
85. I love helping people
86. My children's honesty and support
87. Fresh linen
88. music
89. Fresh berries
90. Buddy my dog
91. Ablue our budgie
92. Boxing
93. Travelling
94. My body no longer holds me back
95. I can run 1km and probably more
96. I live in australia
97. Campfires
98. swimming in the ocean
99. Theatre
100. I have choice

Week 4 fitness test and weigh in wednesday

I will be doing my week 4 fitness test this coming weekend with the western Sydney crew, these are the people I did my week 1 test with and it will be nice to catch up and see everyone again. I weighed in this morning and have lost 2.1kgs this week and a total of 5.3kgs since week 1. I'm pretty happy with this as I haven't been giving it 100%. The good thing is I know I'll get there eventually. Slow and steady and consistent. I'll be going to buy myself a reward for the 5kg loss. Previously I have rewarded myself with food but not anymore I'll be getting a new sports bra which is definately needed. Now I was speaking to a good friend the other day and we were talking about my blog. I gave her my
access to my blog to help her sister in law stay on track and maybe help her understand we are all on a similar journey and to keep at it, be consistent (she signed up this is her first round)

What she was saying is she never knew how I felt about being overweight or my weightloss or fitness and she said my blog made her cry. She didn't know I had felt "out of my comfort zone"doing ANYTHING as I was always such a confident person. Well I didn't know I felt these things either until I started writing them down in this blog which has been quite emotional for me. I had never really cared that I was overweight or what other people thought of me hence me being overweight and unfit for the most if the past 20 years. Yesterday I had dropped off my daughter to daycare and I hadn't been there for awhile. I am at the stage where people are starting to notice I have lost weight and I was complimented, questioned and I really felt funny talking about my weightloss. I sat in the car and actually cried, i'm still not sure why I was crying, whether I was crying for all the years I have been overweight, things I haven't done because of this or how people saw me prior to losing the weight. I've never felt this way before and I don't know why I do but maybe I did care what people thought and I never admitted it to myself, until now.

Before and after photos

Now I do have the shots in the Bra and undies which I have taken for 12wbt at the beginning of Round 1 - 4th Feb 2012 and beginning of Round 2 - 4th June 2012 but I can't bring myself to post those here yet, I can see a difference when I put the photos side by side but to me I look the same in the mirror. I have found a swimming photo taken about Oct 2011 and the one below that was taken Dec 2011- the photo on the right was taken after a 7km walk/jog last week at the Bayrun I'm about 22kgs lighter and I have reduced each thigh by 17cm's- if your wondering if the 12wbt program works I can definately say a big YES - you just need to do what Mish says sometimes easier said than done - it takes hardwork and determination to change 20 years of bad eating and non existence excerise but I'm proving it can be done

Week 3 coming to an end

Last night I decided to enter the weekly surprise for week 3 which is a blogging challenge for 12wbt, I have
To check the rules again but I think my blog qualifies, I may have to pretty it up a bit so it's easier to read, feel free to suggest anyway I could make it look better - I always like looking at pictures so will start posting some of my photos Blogging has helped me stay more focused this round even though I haven't done many posts. I have downloaded the Blogger app which I'm using now on my phone to see how it works, I think I have to post twice a week so the app will be handy when I'm short of time
So...... Week 3 and I have dropped another 1.4kgs which was a bit of a surprise it must have come from 2 weeks ago when I went to crossfit for the first time... I survived..and actually had fun but it still scares me. I feel a bit like the cowardly lion from the wizard of Oz - I need to find me some courage. I will start again next Wednesday and I'm going to commit to 2 sessions a week ... Even typing that makes me feel scared but it's in black and white now no turning back. I really admire people who do crossfit and I want to be one of those people. I have to convince myself that it's ok if I can only lift a broomstick over my head for thrusters...My friend Lisa who I met thru 12wbt last round was kind enough to take me along to her crossfit box as there was NO way I would have ever gone on my own, truthfully I felt like a bit of a fraud, I can barely run for 2 mins without dying and feeling I've lost a lung or lift any more than 3kgs over my head and here I was impersonating a crossfitter. Everyone was very nice there and made me feel welcome and they scale down the workouts to your level but I still feel intimidated - I do say "fake it till you make it." I will be a crossfitter. I will post my photo from crossfit doing thrusters - I upgraded the broom stick to an 8kg bar

Failing doesn't mean giving up!

Too busy trying to make it pretty.......

I've come to a realisation tonight as to why I start things and never finish them, I spend too long trying to do whatever it might be to perfection, which I have realised is to its detriment, I either get bored with a particular thing or I wear myself out trying to do it to some ridiculous standard and fail and then give up and find something else. This includes so many ho bbies I have taken up in the past, Stamping of the rubber kind, card making, scrapbooking (very tedious) beads, crochet, knitting, cross stitch and the list goes on.... I think I can add exercise and blogging to my list of THINGS I HAVE DONE, FAILED AND GIVEN UP ON.

I've realised tonight this blog shouldn't be pretty and perfect its meant to be about my weightloss journey and pretty and perfect that definately isn't. So I was going to use the same font and headings etc for each of my post which would require going and checking what ones i've used and in my head I have pictures and an order of what I want to to make this pretty. Well I don't know what font or heading setting I have i'm just going to write

and if there are spelling mistakes and I ramble it doesn't matter I going to post - not correcting spelling is going to be difficult for me but I will try

Pre Season tasks 2 to 6

I have completed all my tasks we were given which included setting goals, saying it out loud, gearing up, kitchen makeover, organise and diarise, fitness test and measure up.

I have created a wall in my bedroom with my goals and excuses and a chart to plot my weightloss this round so will post those photos. I have registered for the city to surf for my major milestone and I'm not sure on the mini milestone yet but it might have something to do with either a run or crossfit. (not to get side tracked but I'm attending my first crossfit session tomorrow night with a seasoned crossfitter Lisa I will see if I like it and if I'm still alive to post about it).

I'm saying it out loud with this blog and I have told more people this round. Last round I was a bit hesitant probably because I thought I would fail and move onto something else but I am going to Succeed failure will happen but I'm not giving up!!
I have done my fitness test with a group of 12wbters at Penrith last Sunday we did the 7km Bridge to bridge walk and then I ran my Km time trial whivh I think may have been more than a Km as I added 31sec to my time from round 1 and this time I really did RUN - I felt really good running/shuffling and can't wait till I get fitter. I improved on all my tests - sit and reach I was +2cm (reaching 2cm past my toes - I'm advanced level 5 in the situps (which surprised me last round I was technically a Zero on struggle street) and I did 1 toe push up and 47 knee push ups in 1 minute last round was 25 knee push ups and a 2min wall sit improved from a 25sec one last round.

From beginning of round 1 - 4th Feb 2012 to beginning of Round 2 - 4th June 2012 I have lost never to find again

20.5kgs and 84cms  which I'm starting to finally see. It has taken me a good 4 weeks to feel the difference probably due to the fact I can't wear my pants as they fall off. It takes awile for your brain to adjust which I find quite funny.

Now I feel like I'm in real time with this blog I will keep my posts a little shorter. It's WWW tomorrow Wednesday, Wee, Weigh. When i joined on 18th Jan 2012 I was 120kgs and I weighed in on the weekend at 99.6kg.My goal is to reavh 80kgs bynthe end of this round - so far since Monday kickoff 4th June I have eaten clean 1200cal and trained and burnt 500cal in each session. Off to a good start, I know there will be failure but failure's not what it used to be, It's a learning step towards success

No more excuses - Preseason Task 1

No More Excuses

Pre Season task 1

This is the first pre-season task that Mish is asking me too complete for Round 2 of the 12wbt which starts on 4th of June 2012 it's exactly the same as the previous round. 

Last round I got right in and wrote down all my excuses, everything under the sun. It was as if Michelle Bridges was going to fix everything if I got these typed into the little boxes on my 12wbt profile. 

This time it has taken me almost till the start of the round.

There is a difference though last round I felt like a complete fraud doing this task writing down excuses, of course Mish wasn't even looking at my excuses deep down I knew that but still part of my hoped there was something special about this program and miricalously my excuses were going disappear with my fat and I was going to be one of those 12wbt members I was reading about burning 500 calories a day ( honestly I was a bit taken aback and intimidated reading some of their posts) getting up with the sparrows having fun exercising?? 

No siree my first round I struggled and it was ages before I burnted 500cal in one session and everyday training became once a week.

I completely forgot what excuses I wrote down as I never printed them or stuck them anywhere but I definately used them daily

This time is different I can't say exactly why probably attributed to the new friends I have made that are walking that same road. I have listed the excuses I could think of that I used last round. I will be sticking these to a wall of my house, last night I worked out which wall, the one I face when I open my eyes in the morning. 

This wall which is roughly 5 metres long will also have my before photos from 18/1/12 and my after photos taken yesterday 24/5/12  (didn't take them at the end of the round as I felt like I failed) they are still on my camera and I haven't compared them to the before photos, I guess I'm still worried that I won't see a difference as I still cringed when I looked at them. Maybe tomorrow.

What I am sure of is these excuses will NOT be used because I am already walking the walk. I have been set a challenge to burn 500cal a day and 1000cal on SSS (super saturday session) = 3500cal a week when the round starts. I am not waiting around for the 4th June I have already reset my HRM (heart rate monitor) totals at the beginning of this week 21/5/12 and burnt the calories set. One thing I am good at is maths and I'm always up for a challange. 

My Excuses

I will not be too lazy, tired, sore, busy, sick, unmotivated, 

It will never be too hot, cold, rainy, sunny, overcast, late, early

If I can't get to the gym  I will train at home 

If I have aching muscles I will continue to train to ease the pain

There are no excuses because I JFDI

My Weightloss Journey with 12WBT

I have never written a blog before hence why it has taken me a full round of Michelle Bridges 12wbt to start, it also has something to do with some amazing people I met at the finale for Round 1. These amazing people who I now call friends have changed my outlook on alot of things in my life incredibly within a space of 3 days. I'm going to use this space to keep me accountable on my fitness journey which is definately longer than 1 Round of Michelle Bridges 12wbt, I have a feeling Mish, her team and I are going to be spending alot of time together (not in a stalkerish way) I finally get that it's forever.