12WBT Blogging Challenge - Week 2: A Picture of Health

This week's challenge we've been asked to paint a picture of what we believe health is.

This is a hard one for me.  Looking back I don't believe I have ever been healthy.  My diet was terrible - lots of fast food, large bowls of pasta (yes as big and bad as those shown on The Biggest Loser Families!), chocolate, biscuits, etc, and no exercise!  Even when I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and later, Fibromyalgia I still didn't eat healthily or exercise.  All the information I read encourages a healthy diet and exercise to help with the symptoms and would have meant less medications in time.

It has taken me until 41yo to realise what being healthy really means.  For me now it is eating healthy - and loving the meals and trying new tastes, and exercise 5-6 days a week.  I look forward to going to the gym as well as getting together with Perth Crew for all sorts of activities. It is also not needing the heavy duty medications for my arthritis and Fibromyalgia anymore and a lot less painkillers. 

I am still working towards being the healthiest and best version of me but for now I am a better version and healthier than I've been in over 20 years.

12WBT Blogging Challenge - Week 1

I've decided to take part in the 12WBT Blogging Challenge being hosted by Shrinking Kath.


Here is my week 1 entry:

1. Describe yourself in 25 words or less. You can get straight to the point - or bring your creativity into play.

Wife and mother of 4 kids (9-19).  Work full-time and often shy and quiet but working on changing that!

2. What brings you to 12wbt? Getting fitter? Losing weight? (Gaining weight??) Are you first timer, a repeat offender??

Repeat offender!  Wanted to lose weight and get fit as I was fed up with being tired and in pain all the time.  Originally joined in Round 3 2010 but only did 4 weeks and let life take over.  Joined a gym in December and decided it was time to shift the weight.  Joined Round 1 and lost 11.7kg, then 15.5kg in round 2.  Total lost since December 2010 is now 39.7kg!  Aiming to lose another 12kg this round.

 

3. Why do you blog??

I haven't blogged much in the past - started blogs and only managed 2 or 3 posts.  Going to do more this time and this challenge is a good way to keep me posting.

 

4. Who is your biggest inspiration in life and why (doesn't have to be weight loss)

Can't think of one particular person who has inspired me but since joining 12wbt my biggest inspiration is Perth Crew!

 

5. What things in life bring you the most joy?

My family, friends and Perth Crew.

 

6.What do you think your greatest challenge is going to be this round?

Staying focused to lose the weight I want to lose and getting myself close to goal (whatever that may be) by the end of the round.

 

7. What are you most excited about 12wbt?

 Achieving my goals and going to finale and partying with some amazing people!

8. And what scares the pants off you?

Allowing myself to give up on my goals and not achieve them.  It has happened so many times before but I know this time has been different.

9. Tell me - right now - today - how do you feel about exercise in no more than 10 words

 Absolutely love it!!

10. Complete this sentence - in 12 weeks time - on the last day of 12wbt I am going to be feeling 

Amazingly happy and healthy and proud of what I have achieved!

Busy week and an even busier week ahead!

I've had a busy week this week with work but have come to the realisation that I need to find a new job. Having so many problems at work and no longer happy there. I also need to find something with more family-friendly hours - 6 & 7am starts are not good!

With some help from a fellow Perth Crew member I now have an excellent resume and some hints on how to sell myself to gain the job I really want.

Training wise this week has been hit and miss. I didn't manage to do the 2km challenge every day and a couple of days where I planned to go to the gym early morning I slept in and didn't make it. Then a bad afternoon at work on Wednesday left me with a migraine and unable to go to work or training on Thursday. Everything was back on track on Friday though. Had a really good pt session. My pt tried an advanced workout with me that I completed in 25mins - the workout is supposed to take 30-45mins so we did another round of everything at half reps. I was also approached by the gym manager and asked if I would allow them to put up my before and after photos and my story on their website! This is a great compliment and I agreed but not until I have got down to at least 80kg. After a massive 3kg loss this week that is only 5.4kg away.

Food wise this week has been very good. I've been sticking to 1200 calories everyday - only went over one day by about 50calories. Even tried the Jacket Potato with Creamed Corn and Tomato Salsa tonight. So yummy and extremely filling. Looks like that will become another popular one in my meal plans.

The week ahead is looking busy with my assistant at work away for 2 weeks now. Going through and working out when I can get to the gym - before or after work. Already have pt sessions booked for Monday & Friday afternoons. Going to see Wicked on Thursday night with some Perth Crew so training will have to be in the morning that day, or if the weather is fine go for a walk after work. Will see how things go but also hoping to get to Carine for the newbies fitness test on Sunday morning then off to Pickering Brook in the afternoon for an 80th birthday party. Also sometime this week I need to complete my pre-season tasks - have only done 1 & 2 so far!

Ready for Michelle Bridges 12WBT Round 3!

I have completed 2 rounds of this amazing program and both times said I would blog my journey but never got past one post!  We're starting round 3 soon and have decided I really will get my blog updated regularly.

Round 1 I had some great achievements.  Participated in Relay for Life with the Perth Crew, starting joining the Pain in King's Park sessions and getting more involved with the group.  I also lost 11.7kg (9.99%) and 45cm.

Relay For Life - with Ethan (my son) and Michelle Bridges Cut-out.

Mother's Day Classic - 8 May 2011

Round 2 was even more amazing.  I lost 15.5kg (14.88%) and 41.5cm.  I also started participating in fun runs, including 8km Mother's Day Classic Walk, 4.5km HBF Run for a Reason, 10km Women's Classic, 10km Run 4 Gold and 5km Fun Run at the Perth Half Marathon.  I also tried indoor rock climbing for the first time.

HBF Run for a Reason - 22 May 2011

Women's Classic

Run 4 Gold

Finish of the 5km fun run in Perth Half Marathon

Before City to Surf - with my sister Sheena

 My major milestone for round 2 was the 12km Walk in Perth City to Surf which I completed with my sister Sheena in about 2hrs and ran more than I've run before.

The support and encouragement of the Perth Crew has been awesome and I can't believe what I have achieved so far this year.

I'm looking forward to round 3 and smashing some more goals.  My main goal is to attend the finale workout and party, wherever it may be.

My total weight loss since December is 34.9kg and gone from a size 24-26 to size 14-16!

12wbt Round 1 - Day 1

I had work from 6am today so decided to get up early and go to the gym before work - especially since I have kids to pick up from three different places after work and won't be back home until around 6pm!

I did a 50 minute session at the gym doing almost everything on the beginner program for today.  I still can't use the treadmill so my treadmill time was on the exercise bike instead.  Burned 600 calories so a good start to the day.  I did feel better for it at work and was able to cope better with some of the stress of things not balancing!  I managed to get all my work done and leave an hour early  but will be going in an hour early tomorrow.  I have to go to a training session at head office in the afternoon so need to get most of the day's work done before lunch!

Breakfast today was Mish's Muesli with strawberries and yoghurt.  Then morning tea I had a banana and vanilla Le Rice snack.  Lunch was a wrap with turkey breast, corn relish, snow pea sprouts and alfalfa plus a vanilla Le Rice snack.

For dinner I'll be cooking Kanga Banga's and veggies for myself and the kids.  Not what is on the program for today but I wasn't prepared ahead and already have some leftovers from last night to use up.

I was hoping to do the fitness test this afternoon but looks like it will have to be tomorrow or Wednesday.

18 February 2011

I've had reasonably good week this week.. I weighed in on Wednesday and was down to 117.1kg, another 500g down.  That's now 6.2kg lost since starting at the gym and 9.4kg since the start of round 3 of 12wbt last year.

I went to the gym on Monday night.  Still can't use the treadmill but was able to use the exercise bike and cross trainer.  Tuesday I didn't go but did use the exercise bike at home so still did some exercise.  My daughter started work at 5am Wednesday so I went to gym and did another 35 minutes before work.

I wasn't feeling well yesterday from when I woke up and had to go to work.  By the time I got home I was feeling worse and had a bad headache so stayed home and rested.

Decided to work hard at the gym today.  Did 50 minutes - 25 of that was cardio and burned 600 calories.  I think I might be sore in the morning though as I did push myself on the exercise bike and cross trainer, plus did slightly higher weights than I've done before.

I have a pt session booked for Sunday afternoon and planning to take along my training program from 12wbt and see if we can work it into the sessions. 

Almost time for kick-off

I'm looking forward to the programs being released on Thursday.  Can't wait to see what Mish has set out for us in the food and exercise!

I've had two good days so far this week.  I think I must be getting fitter and have more energy.  I managed to get more done at work and today was actually looking for work to do as I'd done everything that is in my routines for Monday & Tuesday. 

I went to the gym last night and did 45 minutes of combined cardio and weights and burned 550 calories.  Didn't go tonight as I'll be going at 5am tomorrow after dropping my daughter at work.

I tried cooking another of Michelle's recipes from the Crunchtime Cookbook - Chicken Sang Choy Bow.  It was so easy to make and very filling.  Still some left over so I might freeze it and use for lunch another day. 

I haven't finished all of my pre-season tasks but plan to do those before Monday.  I'll be doing my official starting weigh-in tomorrow morning and will do the rest of my measurements and photo on the weekend.

Busy Weekend

I've had pretty busy weekend.  Since I can't do as much as I would like at the gym due to my foot I thought I really should get organised and plan my meals for the coming week.  So yesterday I sat down and looked through my 3 Michelle Bridges books and all the recipes I printed from round 3 last year and worked out my meals for the week.  I then looked at what I could make today to freeze and reheat later and went shopping for the things I would need.

Today I went to the gym as I had a pt session booked.  We did only half cardio and half weights but used the exercise bike and the cross trainer for cardio.  After that I got stuck into the cooking.  I made Nat's Lasagne (from Round 3) and have put it portion sizes to put in the freezer.  I also made Spaghetti Bolognese (from Round 3 - with the Kangaroo mince option).  This is for tomorrow night's dinner for myself and the three kids.  It looks like there will be too much so the rest will be put into the freezer to use another night. 

I also cooked tonight's dinner for everyone else as I was going out for dinner with the Perth Crew. 

Dinner with the Perth Crew was at the Balmoral Hotel in Victoria Park.  We had about 45 people so a big crowd.  I opted to have a grilled fish with garden salad.  It was so filling.  I'm looking forward to us having another get-together later in the round and seeing how everyone is going with the program.

Fitness levels getting better but now injured!

I've been slacking off and not blogging like I planned to.  Have been busy with work and gym sessions.  I've been going to the gym 4 times a week, including 2 sessions with the personal trainer.  My fitness has improved immensely. 

When I started in December, I struggled to do 5 minutes on the treadmill or exercise bike, let alone lifting weights or doing squats.  Struggled to do 10 fitball sqauts at my first session - now I can do them for a minute while holding 4kg weight in each hand (and no fitball). 

I have also increased my speed and time on the treadmill.  First session a lap (400m) took 5mins 40sec, now I can do it in 4mins 18sec at a fast walk.  Just this week I have started doing intervals of jogging as well - 30 secs jog then 1 min walk (like in the C25k program). 

I had some pain in my right foot which got worse when I started the jogging intervals.  I went to the physio yesterday and discovered it's the plantar fasciitis that has flared up again. I had it 2 years ago when I started working and was on my feet all day at work.  I got fitted for some better shoes and had physio and it helped a lot.  Didn't have anymore problems until now.  I wasn't wearing the correct type of shoes so my feet were not getting enough support in the right areas (I tend to roll in when I walk). 

Now the physio says no treadmill until it settles down and not much on the cross trainer either!  Have a pt session booked for tomorrow which was to be all cardio, mostly on the treadmill.  Now we are going to do half cardio - but using some cross trainer and the exercise bike.  The rest of the session will be weight training. 

No super Saturday session today but I did use my exercise bike I have at home and will stay and do more at the gym after the pt session so tomorrow will be my super session.

Introduction

I've started this blog to record my weight loss journey through Michelle Bridges' 12 Week Body Transformation program.

Michelle Bridges is one of the trainers from The Biggest Loser (Australia) and runs this online program helping people to lose weight and change their lives.  It runs for 12 weeks plus 2 weeks of pre-season tasks.  These are things to get you ready to start the program, such as goal setting, checking your pantry/fridges, etc.  During the 12 weeks you are provided with menu plans, recipes and exercise plans for different levels of fitness.  There are also videos from Michelle and every week there is a live chat with Michelle.

I joined in Round 3 last year and did well for 4-5 weeks but then let things get on top of me and didn't follow through to the end of the 12 weeks.  I did lose weight but put some of it back on.  My weight when I started was 126.5kg.  I got down to 121.5 but then in December I went back up to 123.3kg.

I have joined for Round 1 this year and am more determined to make it work this time.  I joined a gym in December and have been going there 3-4 times a week.  I have 2 sessions with a personal trainer.  This has done wonders for my fitness and so far I have lost another 4kg even though I haven't really been eating that well.  That is going to change this round.