Day 2

Oh my I am feeling my muscles today that have been on vacation for so long.

Even thought I go to gym most days, clearly from doing the pump class and the extra running the muscles are hurting baby!.  It's mostly a good hurt.  The kind of hurt that when you drop something on the floor you groan to pick it up or when its all too hard.  I use my toes to pick whatever is on the floor up.

Ok I weighed myself today and was doing a happy dance.  I loved my scales today 80.8kgs. That is a freaking loss of 1.7 and frankly I never want to see 81 or 82+kgs ever again.  My aim is never to regain.

Today started off pretty much the same as yesterday. Except for the aches and pains.

Same breakfast and lunch as yesterday.

Dinner Roast veggies salad with chickpeas.

I changed a few things around.  I roasted the chickpeas with garlic for 4 mins.  I used lemon to water down the yogurt instead of water. Added some asparagus and mixed lettuce.  It was nice but I didn't like the zucchini.  I think I would have enjoyed it more with 97% fat free balsamic dressing.

The chickpeas were something nice for a change.

I also ended up having a small tin of tuna with a handful of mixed lettuce with some 20grms of cottage cheese for a snack around 4.30pm as I was starving out of my brain.

I did a quiet session at gym today.  Not realising we already have our first weigh in tomorrow. I managed to burn up 700 cals.

I am not too worried about tomorrows weigh in as its only been 2 days on the program.

If this mornings loss already is anything to go by then I should lose more weight than I originally aimed for.

Day 1

Weighed myself cause I just can't help myself.  Hopefully, by the end of this challenge, this old habit will have gone.  So day 1: -  I weighed in at 82.5 kgs.

I started breakfast off with my usual cereal.  As I figure, its taken me 41 years to finally eat cereal every morning after years of eating a hot breakfast or toast loaded with peanut butter.

I headed off to gym to do my cardio workout as close to Michelle's plan as possible but my main aim was just to burn the calories.  A friend of mine Tracey, who is also doing the Michelle Bridges 12 wbt had posted on Face book that she was doing the pump class at 10.30am.  I was worried that if i did pump with my old track record that I would put my hip and shoulder out and that would be me for the rest of the challenge.

But ..................................................... I decided to give it a good.

My old friend - I adore pump classes, sure there was times that I thought, OMG "There goes my knee or my hip". I loved every minute of it and will be making it part of my Mondays as long as my body holds out.

Anyway back to the program.  Sorry about the quality of photos - Im no Donna Hay!

Lunch was a surprise I honestly thought I would be left starving after this but I wasn't.  So its turkey with cranberry on corn/rice cakes with a spread of avocado.  It was meant to have snow pea sprouts on it but I don't ever remember I liked them and at $3 a packet, I wasn't about to find out the hard way.

As I missed having a morning snack - by 3pm I was hungry again and had a "Body Wise bar".  They are kind of like a healthy muesli bar and around 130 cals.

By about 5pm while making my son his dinner it really set in.  Well, I was thinking "What I had for lunch would be a snack on any other given day".  I was so hungry.

Dinner was meant to be Salmon Stir-fry with Chinese broccoli & ginger.  I went with around 130grms of chicken instead of a sad looking 90grms of salmon.  I was starving!  I ended up loading up with lots of Bok choy but kept with the actual recipe, except for the Olive oil which I replaced with chicken stock. Olive oil is around 120 cals per table spoon, compared to 10 cals for 100mls of ready made chicken stock. Trust me I would much rather have a diet yogurt for 90 cals than a table spoon of olive oil in my dinner.

Oh boy sorry about the grubby plate photo.  Didn't pay attention to that.

I ended up having a "for Me" yogurt after dinner at 90 cals.

I burnt just under 900 cals with my work out sessions today.  Pump doesn't burn a lot but its great for toning and burning calories for the rest of the day.

Dinner was meant to be salmon stir-fry with chinese broccoli & ginger.  I went with around 130grms of

Today is -

The last day of my old life as I know it.

Today I finally, got that feeling back again.  The one that I know that I can do it and that my body isn't going to let me down.

Today, I ran 1km in 7.21.  I can't remember the last time I ran so long.  I was always the kid who had asthma and the one time I did run the cross country at school ended up on oxygen afterwards as I couldn't breath.

I remember loving running.  I have always been envious of people who can run and look really good while they are running.  You know how some people have a really good technic and physically don't look unco.  I look unco! But hopefully I will get there.  Like the times I have run for 3 or 4 mins straight, I get this amazing buzz. I can't explain it.  I just love it!

To say I am "pumped' about starting the program tomorrow and finally achieving my goal weight, is an understatement.  I feel like a little kid who can't sleep the night before a special event..  My brain is in the right place, everything is all go.  My body, well each day we will see what happens.

I know its not going to be an easy task but it will be fun and I am already loving all the wonderful cyber friends that have inspired me and motivated me so far.  I can't wait to finally met some of these lovely ladies.

So today I say good bye to my "treat" foods that I used while I was on my last weight loss challenge.  My weekly splurge of sushi, coffee and the newspaper!

I am not sure how I am going to live without my large skinny latte.  I know I could add it some how until my 300 snack/drink allowance or maybe just work out a little longer and burn the calories.   Sushi well my dear friend at nearly 150cals or more per roll.  You can just wait for me on the other side.   I like my coffee on shopping mornings (Thursdays), but I think what I might do is just downsize (insert a big sigh!).  

I have taken my before photos.  Ones in my undies and ones with shorts on.  I might show them at a later date.  Depending! if there is an improvement.  

Some new goals, I have been thinking about : Buying myself a "Brand name" gym wear.  As much as I love my Target trackie dacks.  I would love to be a stylish gym chick.   I plan on putting a smaller sized pair of jeans on lay by.  So by the time I have paid them off I should be at that size.  Or secretly, I hope that I might have to change them for an even smaller pair.

So tomorrow, 23rd of May will be the first day of breaking old habits and living the life that I imagine my life should have always been.  Setting my sights on a new future because I know an amazing change is possible and I can see it so clearly now. 

Only 5 more sleeps until the challenge starts

I'm scared, pumped, excited and worried all rolled into one.

I know I can do it. I don't know if I can get through the exercise without needing my hip operated on before the end of the challenge.  I have allowed myself to not be hard on myself if I have to.  I will keep up with the eating and what exercise I can do.  Then hit the 3rd round.

I have made a commitment to do as many rounds as I need to. To get to my goal weight and maintain my weight.  I read somewhere the other day that to truly have your weight loss under control you need to be at a goal weight for 3 years.  I can do that!

Tonight Michelle is loading up inspirational peoples blogs and thought I would share this one.

My husband walked past the computer while I was reading her blog and he didn't believe it was the same person.  I think as much as I hate to have before photos taken.  I think I will do it as well.

I know from doing the photos last year that it wasn't until I looked back that I realised that my body had changed.

Anyway,  For the first time since my operation last Christmas I have not been to gym for 5 days straight!  I'm Ok with that. I have had a tummy bug so I didn't want to spread it or even worse have that sudden urge to go lol while in the middle of a pump class. Ouuuu!!!!

Here's Ange's blog

http://bellaxthree.wordpress.com/

Not weighing myself this week

I am so pumped this week.

I have decided to just let go of the scales this week and realise that my goal of getting a few extra kilos off before the challenge starts, is just not going to happen.

I have tried and I have no idea why my body is just not going to part with this extra fat.

With a little over a week to go until the challenge starts - I am so ready - Bring it on.

Sadly Michelle is here in Melbourne for the final of Round 1 challengers.  Normally the final is in Sydney and I am a little sad that due to funds, I doubt that I will be able to get to the final where ever it is at the end of this challenge.

Well off to enjoy a very cold weekend.

Open letter to my bathroom scales.

Dear Bathroom scales,

I have put up with your miscalculations of my weight for far too long.

When I purchased you, for the expensive sum of $100.00 (yes that's right!) It was 10 years ago and now I can purchase a much more slim line, super seeded model for 1/4 of the price and I am sure they will do a much better job.

How dare you tell me this morning that I weigh 82.4, 81.8, 85.6kgs.  It is your job, to tell me the correct weight. Don't you realise, by telling me 3 different amounts and being way off centre, that it sets my day up for destruction and possibly failure?

I am giving you this letter as I will no longer be requiring your services anymore from this Friday when a nice new slimline model, will be taking over your space on the bathroom floor.

Kind regards

Felicity.

81.6kgs

Yep you better believe it back at 81.6kgs.  My plan is to be back in the 80's this week.

I am going to go and buy a new set of scales on Thursday. I am sure these ones need replacing.

Yesterday I was back down to 81.2kgs after hitting 82.4kgs the day before. It amazes me how much our weight can go up and down over a 24 hours period.

I felt sore still with this stupid hip of mine but still went to gym and had a great training session.  It was just a shame that the gym closed at 4pm as I could have kept going.

This morning I pulled up very sore and with a huge headache again.  However, I come good by the afternoon when my bones have warmed up a bit.

Nothing is going to slow me down.  Of course I worry about this injury, as last time, on the final of my 12 week challenge last year.  I went to run and my back went. I don't want a repeat of that as it was just out of the blue.

Michelle's Podcast today is "Say it out loud" and making a commitment to her and letting my family & friends know what I want and making it clear to everyone, just how I am going to do it.

I am going to think about it before I post because I want to be sure and have clear plans on how I am going to do it.

Happy Mothers day and only 2 weeks until the challenge starts.

82.4kgs Friday 6th May.

I feel like I am loosing this battle with the scales again.

I have been tracking my food and had Thursday as my day off other than having a "low carb" beer with dinner ( I don't normally drink beer) but my taste buds have changed since cutting out alcohol from my diet.  I was a little naughty at dinner time.  As I decided to wait from my hubby to walk the dog and eat dinner with him.  So it was close to 8pm by the time I ate.  I had been picking at other things, I guess and that must be were I went wrong.

I am struggling with my back and hip pain after doing the Zumba class.  I don't know if it was all that hip shaking, or that I had a Chiro adjustment the day before and it was too soon.  It also could be that I did weights this week for the first time.  Sadly, I did too many new things again and I can't pin point what sets the pain off again.

I think I am going to have to get this hip operation done before the end of the year.  Its holding me back from getting to goal.

I will not eat food I don’t need. 

I will not reward myself with food. 

I will not medicate with food. 

I will not allow situations, circumstances or other people to influence or dictate the way I eat. 

I will not rationalise poor eating. 

I will not be a food martyr; I will simply do what I need to. 

I will not lie to myself or others about my eating behaviours. 

I will not eat in secret. 

I will not repeat the mistakes of my past. 

I will not allow my mind or emotions to sabotage my physical potential. 

I will eat consciously.

81.6kgs

I think I am stuck on 81.6kgs it must be my new plateau or something.

Today I went to my very first Zumba class and I loved it and can't wait to do another one.

My poor old hip and low back didn't like me for doing it but I haven't smiled so much through an exercise class for so long.  It was a great calorie burner which I was really surprised with.  For being so uncoordinated and not doing the class at full pace I still managed to burn 550 calories.  I also did another 150 on the treadmill warming up before the class.

So not bad calorie burn considering from past experience I was only expecting to burn around 200-300 calories.

Food wise has been just OK for some reason I was really hungry in between my warm up and before my class.  I went to the gym cafe and they had nothing quick or healthy to eat.  They had fruit salad but I couldn't eat that quickly. No protein bars not even an apple.  So I ended up having the most delish muesli cookie which I am sure had like 200 calories.

Anyway no photo's to share today.  Hope to see the scales move down tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

81.6kgs

Day 2 of getting back on track.

Today I hit the gym with my new (yes another one) heart monitor and calorie counter watch thingy.

Garmin replaced my old one but this one seems to take longer to get my calories up.  I know as a rule if I do a good cardio work out of about 1 hour I have burnt no less than 500 calories.  So today after 40mins I had only burnt off 280.  I was a bit ticked off as the machines at the gym told me I was closer to 400.

So I decided to play around with it and get it back to what I believe is right.  Although I do have worry in the back of my head that maybe, just maybe the new watch was right to start off with and maybe I am not training hard enough.   Who knows but I did finally burn off just abit over 1000Cals in just over an 1 1/2.

I am feeling really positive today with starting the new challenge and looking forward to it starting in just under 3 weeks.  I wish it was now.

My sisters 30th Birthday is the 2nd July and my aim in just over 8 weeks is to be around  70-72kgs all going well and my body doesn't give in.

Food wise I have made a few new changes.

I bought myself a new cereal bowl.  Yes I know it sounds silly but I just wanted something new and just mine

.


So I had my 45grms of All Bran with 100mils of skinny milk and a cup of tea with a splash of skinny milk
Breakfast Cals 220.

Snack Large banana with a black coffee with a "Vanilla Cafe Mate" 165 Cals

Lunch Salad made with 100grms of chicken breast 2 tble spoons of fat free dressing and a cup of tea.
My salad also had some yummy things added like asparagus, 5 olives (in brine) and dry roasted pumpkin.
Cals 320 Cals.

I am trying really hard to get myself organised to have my meals ready in advance so I have no excuse to eat anything.  

This is the salad dressing I use.  I never used to be fussed on dressing on my salads but I don't mind this one.

This dressing has something like 8 or 10 calories per tablespoon. Nice flavour with very low cals.

Dinner was a chicken stir fry  with 1/4cup or rice.

During the day I also snacked on a sushi roll and some air popped popped corn. 

Heading off the chiro tonight for a hip adjustment as I am hoping to do Zumba for the first time tomorrow with  some friends.

Michelle Bridges 12 week challenge Pre-season

Yay life is back to some sort of routine as of today.

Hubby is back at work and my little guy is back at school.

I hit the gym today and decided today to start back at writing all my food down and counting my calories.
It's so much easier now that I am at home by myself and can hit the supermarket and fruit shop without someone tagging along.

Last week was a shocker food wise for me, no excuses other than I allowed myself to indulge with Easter, My husbands birthday & my best friend going over seas.  Having hubby home also meant we ate lunch out most days as well. It's very rare for just the two of us so I enjoyed our time also it was that time of the month I didn't bother to weigh myself. So I nearly died when I jumped on the scales on Saturday for a quick weigh in, as my smaller jeans did not do up.  I came in at 82.8kgs.

I forgot to weigh myself today and realised when I got into the shower and was all soggy wet.

I did weigh myself once I got back from gym and completely freaked out 83.8kgs.  I was 76kgs last October. Not happy Jan! No one to blame but myself.

Michelle's Pre-season tasks have started and while I have had a quick look at them but haven't had the time to sit down and starting making lists.

Task 1 was introducing myself in the forum (tick done)
Task 2: Get real no more excuses.  So far I have made a excuse box.  I have a packet of yellow sticky notes and have written all of my usual excuses and then written my response on each one and thrown it into the box.  I am still going.
Task 3: Setting my goals.  I love this part as I love having goals.  I know from last year when I completed my other 12 week challenge that all of the trainers would say " You have to have goals & imagine yourself at those goals" and keep focused on them.

So with lots of excitement I went and bought myself a new food & exercise diary.   I still had space in my last one but it was all over the place and having something new and starting fresh just sounded better.

I really like this diary - They can be bought from www.itsallaboutmejournal.com.au - My gym stocks them at $20.00.  I like this one because it has a section for your daily thoughts and feelings.  Every 14 days you can pre-set your next fortnight goals.

Well off to watch Biggest Loser final show.  Can't wait to see who wins and what they look like now.