It's Hump Day !!

Literally !

Not only is it Wednesday, well let's face it Wednesday is nearly done.  But at today's weigh in I dropped 400 grams and ... I'm now 94.9.  Yahooooo.  I've gotten over the hump and I'm on the low side of the 90's! Still chipping away at things but it felt like a milestone nudging under the 95 mark.

I started thinking I just may get to my goal at being in the 80's by the end of the round.  That's what I'm aiming for.

I'll be spending quite a bit of time in the car tomorrow driving down to Geelong and back for a meeting.  I already have dinner planned for tomorrow night, Mike is cooking his own and I have one of my frozen cook up meals waiting for me, so at least there's no stress in grabbing anything.  It will be interesting going down to the Geelong office.  None of my workmates down there have seen me since before 12wbt started.  17.4 kg ago.

I'm looking forward to seeing their reaction.

Well ... I hope there IS a reaction!

Little by little I am getting there.

Ouch!

Ouch, Ow,  @*$&(:#*&\& ... I've said it all today.   My poor calves have knotted up, I'm walking like a wounded old lady.  Even pressing the clutch in on the drive to and from work was agony today.  I managed some sit ups tonight, but that's as far as the exercise went.  I'm still so proud of my efforts on Saturday, so incredibly proud, but sounds like a few of the girls have pulled up sore.

I've just finished soaking in a nice hot radox bath tonight and that has helped, and the warmth has loosened my calf muscles quite a lot.  Lets hope it won't be too long till I'm walking without wincing.   Cause let's face it, we have to be well and truly fit for our 8 week milestone.  I know what we've discussed, I won't spill the beans here, but lets just say  Volcano Schmolcano with what we've got planned!

I quite like this quote I found tonight, and I'm going to take it on board for sure.

Hope you are all having a great start to the week, onward and upward, let's smash it!

I feel like a Rock Star !!

... a limping sore one, but a rock star nonetheless.

We've just completed Week 4 so time for a mini milestone challenge.  The ever adventurous Jane thought up a challenge like no other.   To take on a volcano!

[[ cue the delirious laughter here!!! ]]

So she set about getting a group of us from the Warrnambool & Surrounds crew together to take on Tower Hill and in particular the impressive crater peak climb.   Now Jane was aiming for us to do it four times, to be quite frank as soon as I saw the first set of steps I thought I'd be happy enough just to get up and back once.   But I am proud to announce I went up and back FOUR TIMES!!!  Not only that but she had devised an evil plan to have us do 10 burpees, 10 Turkish sit ups, 10 push ups and 10 jumps every time we hit the bottom before climbing back up to the top again.

Here we are looking all fresh faced and excited before we started, a lovely tourist stopped to take our photograph then told us quite frankly we were nuts!

And then we were off.   The climb to the top of the crater is a mixture of steps and steep paved inclines, some of which particularly at the top I did need to haul myself just about to get up there.   I just sighed then looking at this photograph as I uploaded it remembering the pain!!!    I did take my camera up on my second climb up so I was able to snap some photographs on the way up and down, but I tell you it was so darn heavy to lug, it was a one time only, any other photo opportunities had to go begging.

And here I am further up the trail looking down on a couple of the girls at one of the landings.   Yep it was steep! 

We all ran and walked and jogged (and I swear in some cases I crawled) at our own paces, high fiving on the trail as we were passing each other by, offering encouragement, keeping up a never say die attitude that I was absolutely so incredibly proud of.   Here's to new friends, girls we have connected with on the 12wbt forum and in our own local facebook group for our area.  Here we three had hit the top at the same time so had one of the tourists take our photograph.  It was quite the thrill to meet Casey who I really enjoy reading her blog.   She is going great guns on the program, and had even worked out at the gym prior to doing the crater climb, how inspiring is that!!

Yes, I fear that is a look of delirium on my face!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Oh Good Lordy Lord!   Note the bags under the eyes.  Ouch.

And here's the girl of the moment!   The fabulous Jane who got us revved up and doing this challenge.  I might be sore and sorry right now, I feel like I have tennis balls in the back of my calves but even with all the hurt, I feel like a total rock star.  So thank you Jane, you well and truly got me moving yesterday!

Roll on the week ahead, although I feel sore, I feel quite invincible!  I realised on my third time up that I had the hidden speed of an Olympic Athlete when I saw a snake sunbaking on the side of the path, I took off running!  Aaaarrgggh!

So this weekend took on a volcano and won!   Tomorrow the world!   Yahoooooooooooooo!

And the good times keep on coming!

I finished work today and talk about enthused.  Friday late afternoon and there I was hitting it at the gym.  There was leftover Penang chicken to be had for dinner tonight, so no need to hurry home and cook.  So it was me time.

I had a great workout, I don't know where all this enthusiasm is coming from but I want to bottle it!  I think I'd make a fortune.

I got home and Mike just nonchalantly said that there was a couple of letters and a package on the kitchen table (trying to hide the grin).  At first I didn't take much notice being that I had ordered a few things lately online so thought it was just one of those things finally arriving.  Until I looked at the return address.

SQUEAL ~~~ MICHELLE BRIDGES !

Oh my goodness my prize had arrived already.   I took my time in opening and savouring the moment.  I was thrilled with the parcel but even more so, there was a note from Michelle, handwritten.  Yep, Mike held it up and declared it not a print, but real handwriting!!  Yippee yippee yippee.  This is going to motivate me even more.

Mike said after all the squealing had died down, "jeez, she's the leader and you're all disciples aren't you".  Well I guess we are!  We are all on the Michelle train to success.

So after I downloaded my camera I realised I forgot to take a photo of the actual chi ball.  I'm totally going to be into this I can already tell.  Once we blew it up I was prancing around the kitchen tonight like one of the Olympic Gymnasts!

4 week Mini Milestone

I'm really looking forward to tomorrow, a little bit of apprehension swirling about, but excited nonetheless.  Some of the Warrnambool & Surrounds 12wbt group organised by the lovely Janie are getting together to take on the volcano !!!  We're heading out to Tower Hill to run (walk ... crawl) up and down the crater.

Now bear in mind, for the 11 years I've been floating about this area having known Mike that long, I've only been to Tower Hill twice.  Both times for long luxurious picnics down at the bottom, eating to our hearts content, basking in the sunshine, marvelling at the emus that would come right up to us, spotting the koalas in the trees, you get my drift.  Nothing strenuous.

Tomorrow is going to be another kettle of fish entirely.

Because of my sore feet tonight from the treadmill at the gym, look what the hero of the evening did for me.  A foot rub!  Bliss.  Said he's taking one for the team!   Oh and the little furry bundle you can see nestled down in the corner of the couch is my little training companion, Lucky, dozing.   He didn't really "get" the Michelle excitement unfortunately.

So as for tomorrow.   Watch ... this ... space !    :-)

Oh Good Lord and Love a Duck !!

One of my mum's favourite expressions I'm afraid.   But for me to use it means I'm jumping up and down and very excited!

Thank you thank you thank you to those who nominated my blog at 12wbt for Round 3.  I was one of the 20 Weekly Surprise Winners, alongside some amazing, witty, inspirational, jaw-dropping blogs written by wonderful 12wbt'ers.

Michelle's email on Wednesday said :

This week’s Weekly Surprise was important not only because the winners are actively inspiring people but because the blogs nominated to win this week will also go on to be the nominees for the end of round Blogger Award. There were so many great entries that I got lost in a time-tunnel reading them all! Well done!!

SAY WHAT?!?!??  Michelle actually READ my blog.  Woah.  Well that set me off again, more jumping up and down and squealing with delight.

She finished off the email to say:

Each of these amazing bloggers has won a ChiBall™ set including a ChiBall™, instructional DVD and CD worth $75 each!

Mish Xx

How utterly utterly exciting.  Thank you to Michelle and thank you to 12wbt ... changing my life in every way.   :-)   And thank you to ChiBall.  I can't wait to use it.

So after all that excitement and jumping up and down and squealing, I went to weigh in Wednesday morning.  Yahoooo, 400 grams gone.  I might have groaned with that small amount, but after a week in which I was thrown curve balls right left and centre, I'm happy to take on board a 400 gram loss.  In fact I was ever so thankful for it.  This takes me to an even 17 kilograms gone forever.

So the past week I had my birthday (small indulgence).

My stepson's 18th birthday (another small indulgence).

And then on Tuesday I returned to work after 2 weeks off and the girls had bought me in a belated birthday cake.   Aaaaarrrgggh  Tuesday!!!  The day before weigh in.  So I had the smallest piece to be polite and to not throw their gesture back in their faces, and it was a lovely thing to do ... but the day before weigh in!!   So after work that day I worked out an hour at the gym to make up for it.

So yep, I was happy with a 400 gram loss most certainly.

Back to work

Yes, back to work I went today.  Oh well.  Funny I don't even feel like I've had 2 weeks off now.  But I'm back to a routine already so that's one good thing.

I can't believe we're at Week 4 in this round already, so you know what that means, measure up, and tally up.   I'll measure a bit later in the week and do the rest of the trials, but I did the time trial when I got home tonight.  Now just because I'm now running 1.5km on the treadmill, I tell you it's a heck of a lot harder out on the road.  Why is that?  So I still needed to walk on odd occasions in the 1km.  But I chipped away at my starting time so of that I'm giving myself a high five.

Started this round running 1km in 7 minutes 45.
Tonight I ran it in 7 minutes 33.   Yahooooo!!!

That's a big difference from the start of the last round, the start of me on this 12wbt journey, where it was 8 minutes 54.  So I'm definitely improving.

Now you may or may not know if you've seen my other family/crafty blog, that I scrapbook.  Yes I can hear the groans.   But memory keeping is a really big part of what makes me tick.  Putting our stories down on paper.  Now last week I turned (cough cough) 48, and I thought it was a great idea to put down 48 things I love right now on my 48th birthday.  All very random, in no particular order, and yes I realise I put chocolate down first, but hey, sue me.

What did amaze me as I started the list was just how many of these loves (some old, some new) of mine were related to my weight loss, getting healthy, my new lifestyle and the 12wbt program.

* exercising
* learning to run
* losing weight and seeing the number on the scales going down
* fitting into clothes I had long since forgotten
* Michelle Bridges and 12wbt changing my life
* anticipation of my trip to Sydney with new friends from 12wbt and the possibility of meeting the amazing Michelle.
* penang chicken for dinner my favourite
* a glass of cold thirst quenching water
* going to the gym and knowing I've had a good work out
* that I finally feel deserving of the good things that the universe is giving me
* the fact that I am now 48 and am healthy and happy and alive

((Credits for products used in this page from Designer Digitals))   You can click on the scrapbook page if you want to read the full list.


So what things are giving you joy right here right now, relating to your new healthy lifestyle.  I'd love to hear about it.

Speaking of joy ...   :-)

We had my stepson's 18th birthday party last Saturday, it was a lot of fun.  I wore my new black dress and bright green emerald coloured coat.  And honestly the last time the kids saw me in a dress was our wedding day, I'm sure.  So I get there and slipped my coat off and the double takes I got from people who know me and hadn't seen me since before the program started had me internally jumping up and down, silently squealing  and clapping like a seal !!!

Even better that there was an ex-wife there who did one of the double takes.  (Oh, did I say that out loud?  My bad.).   :-)

Have a great weigh in tomorrow!

Red flag days

I survived my first really big red flag day for this round yesterday, it was my birthday.  I'm going to call it a red flag DAY, as it could have been easy to let my guard down.   And because we have another red flag event tonight for my stepson's 18th birthday, I decided a meal in at home for my birthday yesterday was a good choice, rather than dining out. 

We still indulged but it was a controlled indulgence.   Everything in moderation right?   I made a delicious porterhouse steak and a green salad with a home made citrus dressing, ensuring I had the smallest piece of steak.   And I just knew I couldn't be trusted with birthday cake this year.  It's not so much the piece of birthday cake, it's the fact that I couldn't trust myself not to eat the whole leftover cake the next day.   So I thought a small individual dessert cake from the bakery (with a few cut up strawberries on the side) was a better choice.  Once it was gone it was gone.

The cake was delicious, orange almond baby cake, and I think my wish when blowing out the candle was that it didn't have a million calories!!

Today I have been extra good and really upped my water intake and exercise and really controlled my calories.  The 18th birthday is being held at the same place I had dinner with the 12wbt girls recently, so the menu is a known quantity so that's always a good thing to feel empowered when ordering.  Plus I have my new black dress to wear.  It will be interesting seeing the faces on my stepchildren, I think the only dress they've ever seen me wear is my wedding dress.   

Funny, but not, I'm actually looking forward to getting back to work next Tuesday.   Two weeks off is always a good thing, not going to work is a great thing, but boy it can get a person out of routine.  

High time for a reward

I had decided it was high time that I rewarded myself for the hard slog it's taken for me to get to the point of 16.6kg gone forever, that I had booked a facial and back massage for today.  OMG it was to die for.  

The back massage, oh it was so good.  I really didn't realise how much I was hurting until I felt truly relaxed. Funny that.  She made the aches and pains literally disappear.  But it was the facial where I felt well and truly spoilt.  The scents were divine.  The products used were amazing.  By the end of it I felt well and truly energised, ready to give my all to this round.

This is not something I do regularly, in fact I've worked out the last facial I had was about 25 years ago!  But I tell you it is definitely going to be my carrot in this program.  At the end of the current round I'm going to do it all again ... so yep, that carrot is dangling.  It was a perfect reward for me right here right now and really has made me feel terrific today.

I read a post on the 12wbt forum written by ToughMudder the other day which really resonated with me.  This very wise woman has lost 62kg, woah!  What an inspiration.  She mentioned that there is no easy way in this journey.  Oh boy, I think I've worked that one out.  But just to keep chipping away at the numbers until there's nothing left to chip away at.

At weigh in on Wednesday I had lost only 100 grams.  I was instantly disappointed after all the hard work and calorie counting.   On Tuesday at the gym I even ran 1.5 km this time non-stop which is flipping incredible, all thanks to my work out buddy Tania and her unfailing motivation.  And then bang, on Wednesday, only 100 grams gone?!?  Are you freaking kidding me scales? 

And then I remembered ToughMudder's post.  And I realised that 100 grams is yet another chink gone, chipped away.  So I do appreciate that post, it's great how someone's words can really make a difference when it counts.  

AMEN!

This is the face of happy...

I took a 'selfie' last night, is that what you call it?  Anyway there was no one else around and I didn't have time to set up my tripod for my camera, so the mobile phone it was.  We were going out to a dinner last night and I was happy.  REALLY REALLY HAPPY!   I like going out to my husband's functions, but I usually dread the "what to wear" discussions I have in my head and it has caused all matter of stresses to me in the past.   But this time it was different.  I went through my wardrobe and I actually had a selection of clothes to pick from rather than the one obligatory going out outfit which was usually all that fitted.   I felt great.  There were actually some outfits I'd forgotten I had and I fell in love with all over again.

I felt happy, and confident and in control.  And it was a GREAT feeling!

The meal was an alternate serve type meal so Mike was great and asked me each time which looked like the lesser of two evils and swapped if I needed to.  Good man!

Entree was garlic prawns or satay chicken.  I had the satay chicken, which was cooked in batter so I shredded that off and just ate the chicken and a little bit of the satay.

Main was chicken coq au vin? I think that was it, anyway it was chicken and mushrooms and a sauce of some description on masses of mashed potatoes.  Thank goodness Mike had that, it was huge and I was worried about my will power.  I had the lamb which was a smaller serving, potato and broccolini.

Dessert was cake which had been decorated with berries.  I had a mouthful of cake and just ate the berries.

All washed down with water.  No wine for me.  This was a red flag event for me and I passed.  It felt good.

Next week spells two very big red flag events - my birthday on Friday and my stepson's 18th birthday party on Saturday.  Can we say ... "danger danger Will Robinson" and wave my arms wildly in the air???  So I'm going to up the exercise, up the water, and ensure the calorie counting is for every morsel that passes my lips.  And remember in the forefront of my mind that my new black dress that I am planning to wear on Saturday night does not call for any lumps and bumps, particularly as there will be an ex-wife in attendance.  Ha!  What better way to keep me on the straight and narrow.

Have a great week ahead everyone.

Successful shopping!

So whilst I'm on hols for work, I thought I might like a shopping trip down to Geelong, but couldn't be bothered driving so trained it down and back yesterday.  Great experience, and enough time, probably more than enough time, to do what I wanted.   Train got in around 8am and left to come home just before 2pm.  Perfect.

A few things on my list to do/see/get.  

I wanted to go to Big W as I still had not seen the Michelle Bridges range of exercise wear.   Only a small selection there, but I was very impressed at both the quality and price.   I ended up buying a pair of yoga pants, black with an electric blue waist line.  Very nice.  Although I will have to take them up.   I really liked one of the tops, it was black with a thick white trim, but that's where Mish has failed me  :-(    Maybe it's meant to be tight but I came out of the fitting room a bit demoralised when the size 16 pant fitted perfectly but even the size 18 top was too tight, uncomfortably tight.  Not only that, but way too low for my liking.   But I know that there will be a lot of people loving the top, so that's great.   Still fabulous quality.   Just thought the sizing might have been a bit more generous.   And yes it did go up to about a size 26, and I know it's just a number, but I just couldn't bring myself to try on a size 20 top.  Call me shallow if you will.

After that I went to Myer with the mission to purchase a sports bra.   I'm well and truly sick of needing to keep adjusting my bra, shoulder straps slipping down, etc.  And as it happened I ended up getting fitted for a sports bra and it was a totally wonderful experience.   The lady took such care with me, ensuring it was exactly what I wanted.   I ended up choosing a Berlei Electrify Underwire.  Then found out it was 25% off, so ended up buying two!

I really can highly recommend getting a proper bra fitting, particularly as when losing weight you really have no idea where you are sitting with regard to bra sizes.   These feel great, I tested them out jogging this morning!  

I got to the point where I decided lunch was in order and at the cafe at Westfield I tend to go to when down there, I was delighted to see that they actually had inserted a kj count alongside their menu.  Until I quickly did a conversion to calories in my head and realised heck!!! some of these meals were more than my daily calorie intake, just for one meal!  Ouch.  

So I made myself proud when I stayed within my lunch calorie allowance and ended up selecting a chicken salad with a citrus dressing.   Which despite being mostly lettuce, was absolutely delicious.  Paired with a skinny latte and I felt in power for sure.

Then I spent way too long at the wool shop, yep, a pretty sedentary past time of knitting, at least I have thin fingers, they get a good exercise!! 

So all in all a very successful day yesterday!

And I'm off and running ... literally!

After my highs of the last post, I had this horrible thought about that whole kilometre run (without stopping!) te he, I always have to add the "without stopping" now!   I woke up last night and thought ... what if the treadmill at Terang Gym is calibrated differently to the one at Snap Fitness that I usually go to.  Maybe a kilometre there isn't equal to a kilometre at the other.  Maybe that's why I've never been able to go the whole nine yards at Snap.

So today I went into Warrnambool and into Snap with one purpose in mind, to run the kilometre again without stopping.   

AND I DID IT AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was quite the relief actually to know it was real, and I wasn't just a one run wonder.   I'm still feeling pretty chuffed with myself.

Funny thing happened just a moment ago.   I was standing in the kitchen when one of my husband's mates came by, a dear friend.  Despite living in the same little town, because I'm usually at work, Tony announced "hey I haven't seen you for ages".  So I stepped out from around behind the kitchen counter.  The look on his face was priceless.  He stared goggle eyed at me and spluttered "JEEEEEEZUS, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU???" he then did the double take and just said "WOW". 

Well that certainly made me jump for joy.  I loved that reaction it was so great.   So I guess 16 kilos is quite noticeable.  

So weigh in yesterday and I was anxious after my disastrous start of this round with a gain, and I do use the word disastrous loosely, I know my gain was only 100 grams, but for me the perfectionist, seeing the line on my weight loss graph go up instead of down really did do my head in.   But jumping on the scales and I lost 1.4 kilograms.   Go me!  That made up for last week and then some.   

So my total weight loss since day dot now is 16.5 kg (about 33 and a bit pounds for my overseas friends).

So whilst I was in town today, after the gym I did a few errands, one of which was that I decided I needed to reward myself for coming this far, a good and decent reward.  I've booked myself in for a facial and back massage next week, and I'm so looking forward to it.  I've had one facial in my entire life and that was over 20 years ago I dare say.   So one might say it is overdue, and what perfect time to get one now is to celebrate 16.5 kg loss.   Funny thing though, the facial I've chosen is a special offer at the moment, it's a chocolate, mint and licorice facial !!!    I don't know what that combination of scents will smell like, but it sounds utterly delicious!   So roll on next Thursday.

So here's a question to you, if I may...

I'd like to ask for anyone reading this (does anyone read this??? LOL) ... what rewards have you given yourself for your goals/mini goals/achievements?  And if your answer is none.  I'm going to ask, why not?  So please share if you like.

To anyone who is reading this I hope you are on as big a high as me right now and getting on with the business of losing weight, getting fit, getting healthy and finding the you that you know is inside.  

A huge high today

From the highs and lows in the last post, I think I hit one of my biggest highs today.  I worked out with a new friend, a fellow 12wbt'er at the new gym over in Terang today, the gym she usually goes to.

I don't know whether it was the fact that I find this new friend hugely inspirational, whether it's because it was a new surrounding, maybe just something inside of me clicked.  But I won't argue with whatever was happening, because ...

Ready ...

Wait for it ...

I RAN 1KM NON-STOP TODAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wooo hoooo, cue the brass band fanfare.  This is huge deal for me.  Okay so it was on the treadmill and I only ran at 7km per hour, slow and steady wins the race right?  But the big thing for me, the biggest, was that I didn't have to do the walk/run/walk thing.  Of course as soon as 1km hit I near on passed out, but we won't go there, right?

Not only that, but after working with the weight machines and the exercise bike, and even doing some sit ups during the session, Tania suggested I try for another km.  My instant thought was why ruin a good thing huh? Let me finish on this high.  But okay, I went for another 1km run.

AND I FLIPPING WELL DID THAT TOO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  NON-STOP!

What a buzz.  I swear I've walked six feet tall all day today.

I mentioned in the last post that I was meeting up with some 12wbt'ers for an evening out.  It was great seeing these girls and talking about some trials and tribulations, and really getting to know them over dinner.  Incidentally I have a lot to learn when it comes to ordering.  One of the lasses impressed me with getting exactly what she wanted.  Hey, we're the customer right?   If I want sauce on the side I really should ask for it.  I just picked the safest looking dish I could find which happened to be a vegetarian dish, something in pre-12wbt days I wouldn't have looked twice at, but my goodness it was absolutely delicious.

My step-son is having his 18th birthday at the same restaurant in a couple of weeks and so I'm feeling like it might not be quite the red flag event I was scared it would be. 

In any case the funniest thing in getting our glad rags on and having a night on the town, was that a couple of the girls we didn't recognise with their hair down and not in the uniformed exercise ponytail!  Quite funny that.

Highs and lows

I've said before that weight loss is such a solitary journey.  The whole losing, getting fit, getting healthy. You can have the biggest support crew in your corner, but ultimately it comes down to one person.  YOU!

I was pretty pumped finishing Round 2.  I got an email from Mish telling me I finished in the top 15% which was a great boost and I felt pumped and ready to roll into Round 3 and hit the ground running.

I was on a high.

Then Wednesday came and I got on the scales ready for my first weigh in of Round 3 and I had gained 100 grams.  And for a perfectionist like me starting the round with a gain just about did my head in.  Of course Thursday morning when I weighed I had lost, and I almost toyed with the idea of changing my weight on the 12wbt site to my Thursday weight, but that would have screwed with my head even more.   I have to do this by the book, otherwise I'm only doing creative accounting.

So I was on a bit of a low at that point.

So I slapped myself around a bit and have really knuckled down and again am finding my way.  And tonight I'm very much looking forward to a get together with some of the Warrnambool & Surrounds 12wbt group, going out for dinner and drinks.  Yep, we may not be going to Perth for the finale, but we're still going to go out and have a lovely time.

So I'm back on a high again.

It's like a flipping roller coaster these games that my head plays sometimes.   I'm starting to get dizzy from it.   But I will keep on plodding along.   Does anyone else get like this?  Mind games.   Gaaaah.  

I need to remember this...

Oh no truer words were spoken.