week 7

Week 7 was mainly about trying new foods and things like that. I have tried many many new things in the past few years and at this point have tried everything new that I'm willing to. So I haven't really participated this week, but I thought I'd add in my usual stuff anyways.

Push ups Last week 30!!! Didn’t do them this week

Intermediate/Advanced:

Monday: rest/ill

Tuesday: rest/ill

Wednesday: work high activity, 42 mins 5km run

Thursday: 50 mins Jillian Michaels trouble zones circuit video.

Friday: 4.12 km in 35 mins run 1.2 km 5 min bike 10 min weights =50

Saturday: ill

Sunday: 4.13km run 35 min, 50 mins weights, 11 min bike=96

Sunday after my run. I felt like I was going to die!

Total minutes = 238

Lost .6 kg on 06/02/12 Lost 1kg 13/02/12 (total 1.6kg) Gain 20/02/12 0.3kg (was throwing up night before previous weigh in and ate 500 calories that day) (Monday in weigh in)

I started week 4 of C25K this week. 2 3 min runs, 2 5 min runs. I can do the first three intervals no problem but I struggle around halfway through the last interval.

I also started back at uni today, so back to studying and fun fun fun. (notice the sarcasm). That is all for today.

Sa's week 6, 12 week challenge

So here is my week 6. Half way though and I'm feeling good and way more active. Building up my endurance and getting out to classes.

This week, we went to go to our usual Tuesday class on Thursday morning, and not only was the instructor different (sadly) but she had changed the class to a circuit class. Here's our something new and different! We haven't done one of these before and it nearly KILLED me! I got through it well, but for the next 3 days my calves were so tight and sore it was painful to walk. It's only just let up recently.

Identify your biggest excuse:

-I'm tired.

Conquered

Getting out and just doing it gives me more energy and more desire to keep going. Awesome run on affect.

I'm not pushing myself 7 days. My body needs at least one day of rest, and I'm giving it that. If I don't, I will wear myself out and make myself sick. I'm not willing to do that. So I WILL have a rest day.

Push ups

Last week 24 This week 30!!! Which btw, is twice as many as week 1.

Intermediate/Advanced:

Monday: rest

Tuesday:34 min 3.86 km. 35 strength 5 bike 1.4km =69 mins

Wednesday: (high activity work) Mowed lawn for 60 mins

Thursday: Light and lo? No, Surprise Circuit class!! Guess that fulfils our something new requirement. 65 mins

Friday: 4km 35 mins run. 2 km 5 min bike =40 mins

Saturday: 8.7km bike in 20 mins, 60 mins body balance = 80 mins

Sunday: 4.14km 35 mins run, 5.12km 13 mins bike, 50 mins strength =98 minutes

Total minutes = 407 minutes!!!

Also, I only have one pic this week, Just see the previous blog, it's up there.

Lost .6 kg on 06/02/12 (Monday is weigh in)

Update

Hello. It's been a while since I posted other than part of the 12 week challenge, so I thought I would.

Since Jan 1st, I have lost 12lbs (as of mon jan 6th), feeling better about myself and working on running. As you know we've been working on the couch to 5km again. I am currently on week 3, which is 90 seconds of run, 90 sec walk, 3 min run, 3 min walk repeat. Some days I get through this ok, and some days I struggle. Here's a pic of me after my last run Friday. (please excuse the sports bra peeking out the side).

I ran hard and did over 4km in 35 mins, which is a LOT for me (my 4.5km was 39 mins for the fun run). The picture does not clearly show just how red my face was and the sweat dripping off me.

Anyway, it's going to be a few more runs before I can move up to the next week, which is 3 mins then 5 mins run. I'm not quite ready for that yet. I haven't had side stitches in a few runs, I seem to have been able to rewire my breathing without thinking too much except for right at the beginning of trying to fix the issue. Also, my knee is not too bad as of late. I've been icing it as soon as I can afterwards and it seems to be helping.

We have been counting calories for a month now, and it's going pretty well. I don't so much like rest days though. I always feel like I'm not going to have enough to eat.

We've also been doing more classes. We're going to a light and low class, which is really neither, and have been to pump and zumba and a surprise circuit class (was meant to be light and low). I think we've been doing really well with eating and being active and I'm happy with my running improvements. I feel like my endurance is slowly increasing and I don't always feel like I'm going to die if I run for 3 minutes straight. YAY.

That's all for now.

Sa's week five 12 week challenge

There are no real flashy pictures this week or anything. This week is pretty simple. I was ill for a few days which meant not much activity. Actually I think I had over done it, because after a day of real rest and a good nights sleep I felt 90% better.

Also, when on the bike on Saturday, sitting just in front of the glass door of the class room who were doing pump, I see this....

Sorry but I couldn't resist taking a photo... Who wears a thong to a pump class? Really? Really?

So here's this weeks challenge

Five quantifiable goals reassessed at week 5

· No more junk food. Chips, chocolate, cookies are my downfall

-This has been going pretty well. Have found alternatives such as weight watchers potato crisp things that are less than 100 calories per packet and frozen yoghurt bars which are 75ish calories…things like that, makes me feel like I’m not missing out on the yummy stuff

This goal I think I'm going to nix, as I'm doing so well I don't think it needs to be a goal any more.

· run/jog 3 x/week

-For the most part this has been accomplished. This week I’ve been ill so I hadn’t run as much as I’d have liked. I’m still striving to do this.

· Drink more than 3 bottles (600mls each) of water/day

-drinking 3 ½-5 bottles (depending on activity level) every day

This goal is going well too. Now this is my new norm, so I'm removing this as a goal too.

· Improve my 5km a little time every time I do it

-this has been reassessed as we began to do c25k and are not actually running 5km for the most part. We are running the program which is between 26-30some minutes (I’ve been running at least 30 mins). My goal now is to increase endurance and progress through the weeks of the program, 2 weeks /week if that makes sense. I know it will take me some time to be able to run the distance so I allow for longer time to adjust before moving up.

· Get out more with the kids walking (at least once a week)

-plans to do this Friday …DONE and continuing, although with the loads of rain we’ve had it’s a bit difficult sometimes.

NEW WEEK 5 GOALS

1. run/jog 3x per week continuing goal

2. 5 km changed to building endurance during my c25k. By March I'd like to be starting week 5 of the program.

3. Getting out more often (1/week) with kids. This is weather dependant and sometimes not applicable.

4. (NEW GOAL) lose 10 lbs between Feb 1st and March 1st.

5. Be able to do 35 pushups at a time by March 1st

Push ups

Last week 22 This week 24

Intermediate/Advanced:

Monday: 90 mins heavy cleaning (The type that makes you sweat)

Tuesday: light and lo class 70 minutes (INTENSE) (32 jumping Jacks)

Wednesday: (high activity work)

Thursday: (high activity work) , ill

Friday: Ill

Saturday: 35 mins 8.5km cycling, 35 mins weights =70 minutes

Sunday: 3.47km 30 mins, 45 min strength including 120 jumping jacks =75 mins

Total minutes = 305

Total jumping jacks = 152 (sorry I just couldn't get them all in)

Mel and Sa's Week 4 12 week challenge

So this week, since it's 'buddies' week, we're doing one blog entry, and each adding our own bit.

So our activity has been pretty well the same this week.

Push Ups. Last week (sa)22, (mel)30 this week (sa)20, (mel) 40

Intermediate/Advanced:

Monday: (sa)jog 3.32 in 30 mins, (mel)jog 3.55 in 30 mins

Tuesday: (both)light and lo class 75 minutes (INTENSE)

Wednesday: (sa) (high activity work) 1 km in 7 mins to bus stop

Thursday: (sa)4.5 km in 39 mins, (mel)4.5km in 37 minutes

Before the race

Mel's Time

Sa's Time

After the race ( Nevermind the half naked dude between us! Awkward!!)

Friday:rest

Saturday: (both) Pump class 60 minutes, Zumba 60 minutes. =120

Before Two classes

After Two classes

Sunday: (sa)30 min, 3.44km, (mel)30 mins, 3.7km 45 mins weights =75

Weekly Total =346 minutes

4 Things that impressed me this week about SuperSa,By Sunshine/Mel

1.Pushed beyond her struggles ( Running - stitch/sore knees and back) to continue running.
2. Eating well and even trying new things! *yay*
3. Improved her Fun run time on last year by 2 minutes!
4. Puts up with My crazy desire to run ( and tags along too) and even crazier ideas like doing two classes at the gym Back to back.

Why I think SuperSa should Win, By Sunshine:

Melissa has not ever really shown any desire to run, it wasn't anything that she thought that she would be able to do. She has been running with me now since I started on this crazy quest. She extends herself through the pain of sore knees and most recently Stitches in her side , and the heat and humidity of running "fun runs" on hot and muggy Australian summer days. She pushes her self above her limits when I suggest doing crazy things that she isn't always sure she can do. Saturday, I decided I was going to do 2 classes. Back to back. A "Pump/weights" class followed right up with a Zumba class. She was doubtful about doing them, but still came and rocked it out. It had been tough, But she finished both classes, even though she was well and truely out of energy. Her determination to succeed in-spite of maybe not being the fastest runner or being within her comfort zone inspires me to push myself just that little bit more. She is rockin!

Why Sunshine should win this weeks challenge.

Like a lot of us, for many years Sunshine struggled with her weight. After her third child she was at her biggest and unhappy within herself. When he was about one and a half, she decided it was time to do something about it, and she was serious. She joined a women’s health centre, which helped her drastically change her diet and get her started on circuit workouts. She was dedicated and began to succeed. She joined a regular gym as well and began working out there on her own and doing classes. From her dedication, change of diet and lifestyle and without use of commercially pushed weight loss products she was greatly successful! Sunshine lost a whopping 53.5 kg or 117 lbs in about 12 months through pure hard work. Now during this time she inspired many people, myself included, to change their lifestyle and get healthy. After reaching her goal weight, she even went and began working at the weight loss centre she started her journey at. With her before and after pictures on the wall, she helped many women begin their own healthy lives, and they knew she had been there and if she could do it, they could do it.

With Sunshine as my workout buddy, she always pushes me to go just a little further than I’d do myself. “just a little further Sa, just run to that tree, just to that pole, to that car”. She’s supportive and encouraging and I couldn’t ask for a better workout partner. If I have an issue (back pain, stitches, knee pain) she looks into what could help me with it. I honestly know that without her, I’d still be in size 22 sitting on the couch watching the world go by around me.

Even though we may have slipped a little through a very rough year, we’ve both got back on it and are working hard to get back to ourselves. Our healthy selves.

4 things that impressed me this week about Sunshine

1. Encouraging work mates to participate in a race when they wouldn’t have on their own.

2. Beating her own time from last year by 4 minutes at the fun run!! AWESOMENESS!!

3. Suggesting we do BOTH Pump AND zumba, right after each other. Perhaps insanity

4. Constantly having a positive and can do attitude even when she looks like she’s pushed herself within an inch of death after a workout!

Basically, Sunshine is a positive inspiring woman who deserves to win, perhaps she hasn’t inspired as many people as Mr. Ben here, but there are many many people whose lives are better because of her.

By, Sa

Fun Run

Again I say there was really nothing FUN about this run.... but I did it, and in two minutes less than last year's time to boot. WITH knee pain, a pita knee brace that kept pinching and bunching and side stitches, by slightly more than two minutes!

I know some of you may think "What?? Nearly 40 minutes to run 4.5 km's? I could do it in half the time!" I am not a runner. I'm trying to be, but I'm at the start of my running and simply unable to run more than a few minutes at a time. I do believe I ran about half the time, and my previous time for this race was 41:44 or something. My normal 5km time is closer to 45mins, so I feel like I accomplished a lot and am proud of myself.

I am absolutely exhausted though. It felt like a hell of a lot of effort and really tired me out. (It's the next day and I'm still pooped!) I was really irritated because when I crossed the line, they did not have the tickets with your place on them. Which means that when the results are posted, I will not be accurately placed at all. It likely doesn't matter to most people, but for me, it would have been nice to see the improvement and my accomplishment from the year before.

Anyways, today I am resting, possibly doing a walk later, but I seriously feel like I need the rest today. My rest day which was Wednesday was actually full on at kindy and then running to the bus stop a km away, and I was still sore from the day before at light and low class.

Last week after my weigh in on Monday, I weighed again on Wedesday and had lost about 0.3kg, then weighed again on Friday and had lost a whole 1.1 kg (in those two days). by the time my weigh in on Monday happened again, I was up again by 0.5 kg. This is why I weigh in once a week and not more. I had done nothing to have my weight increase between Friday and Monday and yet it did. I would have been perfectly happy with the 1kg weight loss from Monday to Monday if I were not aware of the half a kg fluctuation in between. I don't get it. So this week I'm waiting until Monday again. I'd rather see a little number going down than a big number go down then go up again.

Well, I shall go for now, this week's challenge is a 'buddy' challenge so I will add the pics of Melanie and I at the fun run in that thread.

Sa's Week three, 12 week challenge

I've decided not to participate in the majority of this weeks challenges. But here is my physical info for the week...

I'm super psyched about my weight loss this week so far. Melanie made me weigh in on Wednesday, I'd lost 0.4kg, by friday I'd lost another 1.1kg (in two days?!) I'm interested to see what it says on our official weigh in day tomorrow.

Five quantifiable goals reassessed week 3

· No more junk food. Chips, chocolate, cookies are my downfall

-Nothing this week.

· run/jog 3 x/week

jogged twice brisk walk once

· Drink more than 3 bottles (600mls each) of water/day

-drinking 3 ½-5 bottles (depending on activity level) every day

· Improve my 5km a little time every time I do it

-I’m working on this, however the bathroom issue is a major hindrance when road running. Hit 43 mins this week

· Get out more with the kids walking (at least once a week)

-plans to do this Friday …DONE and continuing

Push ups

Last week 20, this week 22

Intermediate/Advanced: 30 extra minutes of intense work like last week + 200 jumping jacks. (all at once or spread out)

Monday: 3.35km 31 min jog

Tuesday: 3km in 30 min

Wednesday: (high activity work, allergy attack) 5km in 43 min

Thursday: 2.3 km in 30 mins

Friday: Blood donation

Saturday: mowed the lawn 45 minutes

Sunday: 3.35km In 31 minutes jogging, 5km in 13 minutes bike =44 minutes

Weekly Total =223

calorie counting

So today my friends, I'm going to discuss calorie counting.

Melanie and I started doing this a few days ago. The first few days seemed great. I was WAY under my calorie goal, although I understand this may not be a good thing either, but it was due to exercise, adding between 300-500 calories. Today, I worked and we did not make it to light and low class that we'd usually attend, and so my calorie goal was lower, and right now, I'm about 400 calories away from that without dinner included.

This makes me stress a little. I feel myself worrying I'm going to go over, why precisely this worries me so much I don't know, but it does. I have increased activity today, due to chasing 3 year olds around and picking up after them, but I'm a very visual person and me seeing the numbers creep up is freaking me out a little. I feel like either I HAVE to go do something tonight, or I can only eat a small amount of dinner. I've been working so hard to get fit again, that I feel like I'm going to ruin something if I eat just a little more than my goal is.

Besides this, yesterday we went to get up for a run at 6am and it was raining. So we went to the gym and ran on the treadmill instead. I ran 15 minutes and had to hop off (thankfully the bathroom was about 10 ft away), got back on and *cue holy music* My stats were still on the screen. YAY! My legs are starting to ache a bit, from running a lot more than I'm used to. We went bowling yesterday afternoon as well with the kids, and my hips are very sore and stiff today. They had a great time, we were beat by an 11 year old on the first game, and I won the second game but my score was still horrendous!

Well, that's it today. I'm freaking about calories, not eating enough with a workout and eating too much without a workout, and I'm sore.

Sa's week two 12 week challenge

I firstly appologise to the blog readers to the repeat pictures. This is an entry for a challenge. Deal with it! :P!!!

So as I wrote before in one of the threads, I had trouble with paying it forward. Not because I'm a mean person, but because I'm horribly shy and introverted. In my daily life, I do small nice things for people all the time, but with this challenge, I really felt pressured and that I HAD to, which really sucked the joy out of it for me and made me anxious to the point that when I finally did do it (by giving the guy at the counter at the gym the money for the next person who wanted a gatorade) that my hands were shaking and I was having a near on panic attack. Not what was intended by this challenge I know, but this was not just out of my comfort zone, but put me over the edge into anxiety. I think it also says something that it was Sunday before I could do it, literally the last day possible.

Besides that part of the challenge, I think the week went well, even with a few days of forced inactivity (due to blood donation and an allergy attack).

1. Tell a story of how someone went out of their way and changed your day or your life.

2. Where are you right now physically? Where do you want to be in 11 weeks?

3. What area of your life from last week can you improve on this week? Food? Exercise? Family? Career?

1. I think the first thing that comes into my mind was once when getting on a plane and leaving my family I was quite clearly very upset. I was crying and lingering, not wanting to leave, as I didn't know when I’d be back. The flight attendant was patiently waiting for me to board (I was the last one) and gave me a sympathetic look. Once I was seated, before we even took off, she approached me and placed a gentle hand on my shoulder asking me if I was alright and offering me a bottle of water. This small act made a world of difference to me, enough that I emailed the airline complimenting her service and care.

2. Right now I’m feeling better about myself, but I know that I still have a long way to go. When I was unable to workout, I felt like I was slacking and I WANTED to be doing something. This is a good sign, the fact that I missed moving and wanted to do more of it. In 11 weeks, I hope to be nearer to my goal weight and fitting into my smaller clothes.

3. I’m attempting to improve my stamina. I think this really needs some work and this is the area I’m focusing on currently. That and getting ready for the 5km fun run in a week and a half. I want to be able to do well, well by my own standards.

Five quantifiable goals reassessed at the start of week 2

· No more junk food. Chips, chocolate, cookies are my downfall

-Awesome. No naughty food at all this week.

· run/jog 3 x/week

-went 4 times last week, three times this week, even with the week messed up with allergies.

· Drink more than 3 bottles (600mls each) of water/day

-drinking 3 ½-5 bottles (depending on activity level) every day

· Improve my 5km a little time every time I do it

-I’m working on this, however the bathroom issue is a major hindrance when road running. The gym helps with this, but I can’t run 45 mins-ish at the gym. Far too boring.

· Get out more with the kids walking (at least once a week)

-plans to do this Friday …DONE and continuing

Push ups

Last week 15, this week 17 20

Intermediate/Advanced: 30 extra minutes of intense work like last week + 200 jumping jacks. (all at once or spread out)

Monday: Rest (blood donation)

Tuesday: 70 minutes light and low class (Intense) 9x8 = 72 jumping jacks 17 pushups

Wednesday: (high activity work, allergy attack)

Thursday: Felt really off and hot

Friday: 32 minutes 3.5km (17 pushups), 43 sec plank (back issue) 10 min strength, 70 min 6km=112 minutes

After 5kms of the 6km walk with Kelly and the kids.

Saturday: Zumba 60 mins (48 jumping jacks) 10 min strength 23 sec plank, 20 pushups =70minutes

After Zumba! We had a ball!!

Sunday: ran c25k, 3.4km in 31 mins, strength workout 60 mins (including 80 jmpjks) =91 minutes

After the treadmill attack. It's not pretty, but it's real.

Weekly Total =343 minutes 200 jumping jacks

Write 4 things you did well every night

Monday: off low carb but ate lower than normal carb, was motivated and handed in Uni papers and hung flyers to sell books, drank 3 bottles of water, wasn’t sick on a windy hilly road (yay)

Tuesday: pushed through class, made monte cristo sandwiches for the kids, and had tuna, crackers and veggie sticks for myself (yay), had dill pickles for an afternoon snack, ate normal portion for dinner even though I was starving!

Wednesday: stayed at work even through massive allergy attack, just drank my goal water, did not snack on kindy sandwiches and instead had a healthy mango smoothie.

Thursday: did some washing, ate well, drank well

Friday: Went to the gym even though I didn’t want to, took the kids for a walk (ride) around Riverway, about 6km (one of my goals), Drank LOADS of water.

Saturday: Tried something new, ZUMBA, and it was fun. Ate awesomely with calories to spare, started tracking with myfitnesspal, did 20 pushups.

Sunday: had awesome gym session and pushed myself and a friend, did exercises I normally avoid, ate well, drank loads

Sunday morning ass kickin

So we've recently (yesterday) started using Myfitnesspal. It se
ems good, but a little frustrating when it doesn't give you credit for calories burned during weight training. Right now I feel like I'm on the right track. Tomorrow is weigh in day. (Yay?) I feel good. I know I've lost a few cm in my belly which is great and my waist.

Today was day 2ish on c25k week 2. I suffered a little near the end. The treadmill I was on did not incline and I usually have it at least on 1 and I couldn't, so I ran flat. My calves started hurting about 2/3rds of the way through. I pushed and pushed through (I stopped to stretch my calves twice but only for a couple seconds and jump back on). I actually did better than the last time with 3.4km in 31 mins. (YAY)

So here's me after the treadmill attacked me today.

Sa no like running sometimes. I look a little stunned and had literally just stopped running and was still breathing hard. (Attractive picture eh?)

So after this, we did a couple weight machines, but then went into the empty class room to kick our butts a little. Our buddy Kelly came for a good ass whuppin and got one! We started out with a little boxing, (two boxed, one did jumping jacks) Got in the remaining 80 today and completed our 200 for the weekly challenge. We'd switch around so everyone got a turn doing everything. Did some lunges across the room, some squats and wall sits, tricep extensions and dips, crunches and a few other things at this point which I don't remember.

So I feel sufficiently worked today and expect to be sore tomorrow (when we will be going bowling and using those arms, well the right one, even more). That's me for today.

Dear poor girl on the bike at the gym,

I know I apologised at the the time, and even after the class. But I thought you deserved a public apology. I apologise for the disturbing scene that you had a front row for whilst you attempted to partake in your gym activity. No one deserves to witness me shaking my fat bum in a poor attempt at a Zumba class. I also apologise for the totally lack of co-ordination and bad rhythm that I displayed. I truly hope that you are able to sleep tonight. ;)

To the Instructor Dude with the Hat,

Thanks for not laughing at me and for making the class seem at least do-able for a clumsy woman like myself . Thank you for also not making it so tricky that I fell on my ass. Thank you for also wearing that awesome Bermuda hat the whole class. It was stylish! And amusing. VERY amusing.

It looked like this. On a spindly little white boy Instructor. In Muscle shirt.

Dear Sa,

I had fun!!! Let's do that again! :) I might even learn how to dance...or not. :P


Your clumsy uncoordinated Gym Partner,

P.s - girl on the bike....I am really, really, REALLY, REALLY Sorry. Again. Bill me for the therapy,




(from Sa)

Hahahahhahaha... That's hilarious... I did say before the class started we should shut the curtains! And I agree, we shall do that again. It was fun even if we did make up our own moves occasionally! I also would like to thank white, white boy gym instructor for adding in jumping jacks which helped towards our 200 count

And thanks for addressing me personally. I feel so special!

Btw, after this class we had to run and leap through a heavy rain storm and were both soaked by the time we got to the car some couple hundred meters away.

Sa plays catch up.

Hello loyal readers :)

So, because of circumstances beyond my control, I haven't been able to do as much as I would have liked to this week. Today, I feel like I made up for it. This morning Melanie and I went to the gym and ran week 2 of c25k. I did alright although by the end I was a bit pooped. And speaking of.... I didn't even have to stop! Was waiting for it for sure! But I digress...

We also worked on our pushups, and planks. I'm still sitting at 17 push ups, after much deliberation about form. And 43 second plank, but my back spasmed at that point and I had to drop.

After the morning run, I went for a walk in the afternoon with a friend and the kids around Riverway. We walked the whole thing, which is just short of 4km, then walked back to the park for the kids to play (another 1km) and back again to the cars (another 1km). We ran a little but it was much much too hot to keep it up for long. Was definitely a good walk for sure. It took us between 60-70 minutes for all that walking. Which is pretty good with 4 kids in tow stopping for drinks and bike issues.

So here's a selfie of me from my new phone once we finally sat down. The kids had donuts, we shared a protein bar lol

Apparently I'm winking for some reason. I dunno why. I actually like this pic though!

anyway, I feel like I've made up for the lack of movement at the start of the week. YAY for me!

Sa's Week one, 12 week challenge

So here's my first entry for the 12 week challenge on the Do Life Movement forum.

First off, Me at the end of week 1, don't I look excited! lol

Please forgive me, I had some formatting problems!

I don’t have a clever poem or anything else witty to say, just something from the heart.

I was never the skinny kid not the really fat one either, but most of my friends were smaller than me. I watched my Mom struggle with her weight, although she never really looked big to me. She did something similar to weight watchers when I was a kid, and they tried to feed me healthy meals. I was picky, but I ate fairly well. As a teenager I discovered Jazzercise and LOVED it. I went regularly, 3 times a week, sometimes two classes a night. At my fittest then, I was about 160 lbs or 72kg, (I’m 5’6). At 19, during my first real relationship, I ended up living with my ex’s parents for a while. They ate fast food 3-4 times a week, and in that first year, I packed on 60 lbs or about 28kg. That’s a LOT for one year. It just stayed on after that. Gaining even a little more every now and then. I lost my love for activity and grew pretty lethargic. I stayed heavy, my heaviest at 245lbs or 111kg. I started Jenny Craig then and lost about 15 lbs, but still didn’t have the initiative to move. I tried to get it back a few times during these years, but my low fitness level discouraged me and I quit.

I met my friend Melanie and a few years after knowing her, she lost a huge 53kg (over 100lbs). SHE has been my inspiration. I knew that if she could do it, I could. She set her mind to it and through hard work of eating right and exercise she did it! And so did I when I moved out to Australia. I lost 30kg (60ish lbs) and felt amazing. After about a year or so, we started to slack and gain weight again. I’ve probably gained back half of what I’ve lost, so I need at least another 15 kg off. We both felt wrong and out of sorts in our own bodies and so here it is again. My pledge to keep it off this time. It was too much damn hard work to just let it fall apart again.

There was a better photo, but I accidentally deleted it.

I don't know why this is underlined, but I can't seem to

remove it.

Anyways, I think this can go for both eating something I shouldn't, 'are the calories worth the 10 seconds of pleasure?'sometimes this is yes, but mostly NO, or the workout 'is the effort worth the result? YES'

Five quantifiable goals and current status at the beginning of week 1

1. No more junk food. Chips, chocolate, cookies or tasty treats from kindy. These things are my downfall

-Have been eating whatever I want

· 2. run/jog 3 x/week

-Began this 2nd Jan. have done it a few times years ago. Am committed to keep going.

· 3. Drink more than 3 bottles (600mls each) of water/day

-BAD at this. Currently drink about 2 depending on activity and temperature

· 4. Improve my 5km a little time every time I do it

-. 5 km average is about 48 minutes atm

· 5. Get out more with the kids walking (at least once a week)

-Don’t do this at all currently, but the kids need the activity as well. Once a week even around Riverway (walking paths) would be good. They can bike, skateboard or walk.

As many pushups as I can

Modified but straight torso as opposed to bending at hips: 15, more than I expected WOOT!

Do 120 minutes of exercise this week/ Add 30 minutes to your average week and push the intensity

Monday: 45 min 5km jog

After our first 5am jog

Tuesday: 70 minutes light’n’low aerobic class INTENSE

Wednesday: (worked at kidy high movement)

Thursday: (worked at kidy high movement) 48 min 5km walk/jog intervals

Friday: 15 mins Jillian Michaels 30 day shred & 45 min 5km jog =60 mins

Still beet red after 20 minutes sitting in front of the fan!

Saturday: 40 min 4km jog

Sunday:25 min 10km bike, 5.5 min 0.5km hike, 1 hr 20 min weights =1hr 50 mins

Weekly Total = 373 minutes or 6 hours 13 minutes

Identify your biggest excuse.

· I’m tired.

Ways to eliminate.

· Just get up and do it! You’ll feel better after!

· Go to bed earlier.

Each night before bed, write four things you did well that day

Monday: Got up at 5am for a jog! Ate well, Cleaned up the whole garage/toy room, Drank loads of water

Tuesday: Worked hard at gym, Took the kids to the aquarium, Ate well, Drank lots of water

Wednesday: No energy drink, Worked even though I was exhausted, Packed a great meal for lunch, Resisted delicious smelling banana cake

Thursday: Got up early for jog, Resisted awesome chocolate cake, Cleaned the house when got home from work, Ate well and drank loads of water

Friday: Ate well, Drank 5 bottles of water (600 mls each), Initiated own exercise (jillian dvd), Put all I had into my run

Saturday: Ate meals and one snack, Drank plenty of water, Organised myself to sell uni textbooks, Ran even though I didn’t feel very well

Sunday: Got up earlyish to go to the gym even though I wanted to sleep, Stuck to the food plan on the last day, Gave it my all at the gym, completed 12 week challenge homework!!!

aaaaaaaaaand GO

Both of us up at 5am this morning for our first jog of the year/new us. We did a fairly good pace for our first movement really in a long while. We did measurements last night and weighed in this morning. We didn't take before photos this morning but we will tomorrow.

We mostly walked at a quick pace but we jogged a little about 5 or 6 times. It's 6:45am now and I'm feeling pretty good.

Today's the first day of Quick start too. Cheesecake muffins for breakfast it is!!! So glad I live with a creative cook who finds new and tasty things we can eat.

So here's our after run photo from this morning. It was really about 5 minutes after we got home, but I'm still beet red as always.

Tomorrow the plan is a class at the gym if they're having normal gym routine and not a holiday schedule.

So expect more posts here from us now.

YAY!!!!!! GO Us!!!

New Year, New Me

Happy New Year all.

So it's January 1st and I'm all geared up for a new start tomorrow. Going on quick start (no carbs) for a week. It can be challenging, but if I put in the physical effort as well, it can pay off. I will weigh in tomorrow morning and I think we're taking photos again. We've signed up for a 12 week Challenge with Ben and his crew, so hopefully it will keep us motivated and inspired as well.

Apparently the plan is to jog 3 mornings a week, class at the gym on Tuesdays, our 2 hr Sunday session and miscellaneous other activities throughout the week.

So here's to it. I ended the year a year ago (2010) at a healthy weight, and I'm going to start this year getting back there.

Plan of Attack

So it's been more than a month since I've posted, and I've not been any better.

Honestly, last year I had tons of will power and the wonderful Christmas foods hardly tempted me at all. I think my problem this year was the loss stall out recently. After working my butt off and the numbers on the scale not moving at all for weeks, I got very discouraged. My clothes didn't really seem to be fitting any differently either.

So, I felt like, what the hell, I'm not losing so why not just eat what I want? And yep, I have been. *sigh* GAH! I hate that a lot of the hard work I've done has gone down the toilet. I've not gained all I've lost, but probably half of it.

So, at this point, I'm not bothering to start now. No, it's not the 'I'll start it on Monday' thing, but I just can't see the sense in starting something right now that will require a hell of a lot of will power in a time where there are too many tempting things. It's like an recovering alcoholic who's been clean a few days going to a bar just to socialise. Not likely to work out so well.

So, My plan of attack.

Eat better, smaller portions of meat/carbs, more veggies, significantly reduce carbs, especially at night, stock up on sugar free lollies and chocolates, especially early on.

Mondays, gym or Gillian.

Tuesdays Class at gym

Wednesdays I'm at the kindy and moving all day

Thursdays gym or Gillian

Fridays gym or Gillian

Sat. Gym ?

Sun Big Gym session.

Once the weather cools down possibly some walks or hikes up Castle Hill.

These gym or Gillian (Michaels) days will depend on time available for working out and if the kids will be home or not. We have the 30 day shred which I'm probably going to focus on when at home, and a yoga one, and weights one which we might throw in there every so often.

I've gained 2 dress sized in my lower half (my boobs only fit into one size, but my stomach's gotten bigger as well). I hate having brand new clothes that I can't fit into, and have never worn because they were bought 10kg ago with the assumption I was going to lose some more and not gain. It's really the worst feeling in the world after a lot of weight loss to go and buy bigger sized clothing. Makes you feel so defeated. :(

So I know I'm just giving myself extra work by not starting now, but I think it would really just be half assed anyway.

After Christmas no excuses. Maybe not much outdoor exercise, but there is an air conditioned gym of which I am a member only a 2 min. drive away.

I've also just joined Ben Does Life's forums for exercise and weight loss. I'm out of practice with forums and feel out of place as most of them are runners and I am really not. Melanie joined and told me about it and I thought it would be a good idea, then I found myself following her around the forum like a lost puppy, and I really don't want to do that, but I felt lost. So I'm not sure how long that will last for me, but I'll give it a go. Maybe I'll find my niche.

Well that's it for today.

Slack, again.

Thanks Hope.

We've been incredibly slack... again. I've been busy with studying for exams and work and Melanie's been busy with more hours as her manager's away and she's the assistant. We went for a short walk last night and that helped, especially after I was in a horrible mood all day. I feel like I'm going backwards. I'm not eating poorly, but I feel like I'm gaining and too afraid to look. My exams will soon be over, but it's nearing Christmas time and working in retail Melanie's hours will go up and so will mine (I'll be doing Santa Photos for the season) as well as my kindy job. It'll be harder to squeeze in a decent workout as often as we'd like to (in normal conditions). I'm not feeling very optimistic about much weight loss right now and that sucks because summer's coming. Most of my clothes from last year I can't fit into right now. There was no point in taking pictures, there wouldn't have been any loss.

Just feeling very stressed over school and everything and not losing, and not getting any exercise on a regular basis right now is making me feel crappy.

I think that's it for now. I really don't know what more to say.

Quickie at the gym ;)

Well, I think this post is not going to be as exciting as the title implies, but it got your attention, no?

So in an attempt to post more I am posting today.

This morning we had a quick workout at the little guy was down in child care, so we only had about an hour. The place was a bit busy so we were forced onto the treadmills. I wasn't feelin it. I did ten minutes on there and did two stints of one minute running and actually had a hard time breathing for some reason. But hopped off there and did some weight machines, and then got on an open bike for 15 minutes. I felt tired and couldn't really go longer. I was tired when I got there in the first place so I guess 25 minutes of cardio is still good. We were going to go Tuesday morning as well, but of course I start having these lovely hives. They spontaneously occur and come out of no where. I'm just not able to pinpoint what's causing them.

So I've been organising my notes for studying. I'm nearly finished my psychology ones. That's my first exam, so I want to get that done first, and really, it's the biggest and scariest. Although I'm going into that exam with a good start as the assignments I've done have given me good marks.

Slack asses.

Sorry Hope! lol

We've been majorly slack. All is well here. Finally got to the gym today after a week of not getting a good chance to go. I feel good after working out today. I biked for 30 mins at around 95ish - 110ish. Felt like my legs were going to fall off but I did it. Then I pumped some weights for another hour and a bit. I'm gonna be sore tomorrow.

This week coming up is my last week of classes before a week study break and then exams. EEK! I have four this term. Educational Psychology, Language and Literacies, Sustainability and Children's Literature. I'm a tad worried about they Psych and Sustainability ones. I'm not scientifically minded and there are so many theorists in psychology it's rather confusing. Thankfully most of it is based on multiple choice.

Then I have about an 8 week break or so. I'll be working at my kindy (day care) and on a Santa photo set which should be fun. I definitely need to save up some money for next term.

My weight's been steady. But really that's to be expected as we haven't been exercising as often. Sadly it's beginning to go into the rainy season which will cut down on our evening walks as well.

This is my short update for now. :)

Photo update

So here we are about a month in to getting back into it. I don't feel or see really much difference which is disappointing. I know that it is not a fast process, and takes time, but some results would be good. I meant to jump on the scale this morning but had had coffee and breakfast before I remembered.

We took pictures AFTER the gym this morning (so we look a little scruffy) because we didn't really have time before. Upon looking at them and comparing them to last months, we've realised a few things. 1. We really should wear the same clothes so we can see changes. Some things are looser, some tighter and doesn't give a good idea. 2. We need to take them in the same spot, mine we moved to a different area because the camera wasn't focusing, and it's hard to tell as the background wall is another colour. 3. We need to try to get the same distance and zoom, as a closer picture is hard to compare to one further away. But alas, here are my October

pictures. I do not see much/any difference.