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!!!

Day 6

So last night everyone else went to Jeff's parents for a bbq. Melanie told me to go ahead and run if I wanted as they were probably going to be a little late. Well, I decided I wasn't going to run, but I'd do Jillian's 30 day shred. Well after eating and everything I put it on just before 8 and only got halfway through before everyone came home. So, naturally I stopped, but Melanie was keen to go for a jog then so off we went.

We did fairly well, we had 10 intervals of running totalling probably 15 minutes worth at least. I pushed as much as I could push last night. We made it in 45 minutes 44 seconds (I bought a stopwatch). I also got pedometers and Melanie's was about 2000 more than mine! Apparently though I was wearing it in the wrong place, so next time we'll see. It should be a it closer.

Anyways, I was beet red after and my face was soooo hot!

This was taken more than 20 minutes after I got home, sitting in front of a fan even.

I had a crappy time falling asleep last night though. I'm not sure if it was all the exercise just before or not, but I was exhausted and couldn't fall asleep until after midnight.

Anyway, eating is going well. Only one or two more days with no carbs, then likely we'll do LESS carbs.

I feel like I'm doing well on the 12 week challenge as well (it's only week one, but I'm keeping up on the challenges).

I ended up doing 15 pushups (at a time) on Tuesday at the class, I tried to do more last night but my arms were still sore and I could only do 12. So sticking with the 15 lol.

Anyway, that's all for now. Looking forward to our big gym session tomorrow.

Day 4

Hello all,

We got our butts up early again and ran, kinda, at 5am this morning. Both of us were a bit stiff and sore from the class on Tuesday still, but we went. I always seem to have a problem when walking/running. :( I always have to go to the bathroom about halfway though. Sometimes that's a good 15 min walk from a bathroom which is not easy. It's super frustrating and I can't figure out how to stop it. It affects the quality of our run and the time. And down right pisses me off. *sigh* Anyway.

At work today (kindy/daycare) it was one of the kids birthdays, so of course, cake. But not just any cake, THREE chocolate cakes with chocolate frosting. Being on quick start I couldn't even have the tiniest taste and it smelled SOOOOOOOOO good! Had to make it, make the frosting, frost it, cut it and serve it. Then dump all the little bits in the bin (this was painful) and watch all the munchkins eating their delicious cake. Jealous much? Naaah..... man it looked good. I didn't have any. Not even a little frosting. So proud of myself but it was SO hard!!! I had to eat a sugar free lolly just to keep myself from eating it!

So, no picture today. We may be reconsidering this early morning stuff, and postponing it until evenings. It's a pain in the butt getting up that early, then I'm tired for the rest of the day. blah.

Well, that's all for today. Eating plan still going excellently! Lets hope the scales are good to us on Sunday/Monday.

Gotta love a great workout!! - Day 2

So we dragged our backsides off to the gym this morning to checkout a class, we have done this one before and the instructor is always fantastic at making you work really hard! But OMG, it had obviously been WAY too long between classes cause she was ON it today! We went a whole 1 hr 10 minutes today and did not stop moving at any point. My whole body already aches all over. We did So many damn squats today...My legs hurt so much!! We did some good push ups too! YAY! But we knew that we would need proof that we worked hard...So of course we got a photo! WOOHOO!

Two very sweaty girls after a good arse kicking workout!

So there it is. it was a great class and we totally did the extra Intense workout that we had to do for the Challenge.


Now food wise, we have been ROCKING!. Eating well, sticking to the plan and enjoying trying a few new things! Its great. I'm looking forward to seeing the changes in my body and on the scales! I already feel a lot less bloated! Water in take has been pretty good too. I have notice that my sugar withdrawal symptoms have been the worst this time round. Which really does not surprise me, considering the crap we had been eating. But yesterday was far worse than today. I got by without a nap too! Hahah!   The side effects most felt have been headaches and general lethargy which is jut from lack of direct sugar fuelling our bodies. our bodies are relying on a different form of fuel.

Anyway,

Feeling great and still excited to be on this ride!

 <3

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!!!

2012 - Are you ready?

So as Sa has posted below...tomorrow is the new beginning of our healthy lifestyle change! We are both super excited to get going and to move and watch the excess Baggage fall off!!! We gonna be fitter, healthier, Happier and HOT in 2012!!! Tomorrow will see us drop most carbs for 6 days ( usually we do 7 but I have a social event next Sunday that will not work out), weigh in and do measurements so we can see the changes in our bodies over the coming weeks. we are also participation in the "Do Life 12 week Challenge " which we are both really excited to be a part of too! it will be fun to see what the next 12 weeks will bring for us!!!

SO... tomorrow will also see new before Photos..They will be up here of course...it is all about accountability people!!  Im super keen, Sa is too... stay tunes fans, This is gonna be one hell of  ride!!!

 Always remember!! 

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.