Wednesday 29 June 2011

Wednesday 29th June (Week 6)

Well, I've trashed the kitchen (again) making our allocated meal for tonight of Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup.... Twas very very tasty and worth the mess...but don't really feel like cleaning up just yet... so update time !!!!

Well we're basically halfway through now.... It has flown by I must say.... Lost another 700gm in the last week even after cutting out all but 2 mornings training so now I'm upping the food.... Need to stay at my healthy weight if I want to get some definition.... Training is going extremely well and most of my weights have gone up although this week has been a bit troublesome with injury with 2 pulled muscles (back of shoulder, and groin) so that's made me lighten the loads a bit and funny enough instead of being "woo hoo I can take it easy" I'm pretty foul about it.... Mish (I don't know anyone that calls her Michelle...) has thrown in 3 x rounds of 3min planks, medicine ball crunch x 15 and twist things x 15 (left and right = 1 rep (lying on your back with knees at 90 degrees and lowering them to each side slowly and back up controlling with core).... I have nearly cried twice on the 3 min planks.... although very happy that I do accomplish them... not every single round every single time.... but at least 1 round each day they appear..... 3min is longer than most songs I have on the ipod..... good times Mish... good times.....

Anyway I want to use today to give THANKS for supporters that have helped me along this journey... Sammyt, our Darwin 12wbt ambassador whom has lost over 20kg herself this year and is just an inspiration and fantastic motivator and finds the absolute best snacks !!!, Krystal for listening to this for the last 2 months, poor girl... every single bloody day she cops it....... her patience is astounding and she must be beyond sick of hearing about it but thank you ! Collie for well, being Collie lol, what more can I say?..... Elle for our girlie fitness chats and support and understanding, Steph for the very quick gym chats so we can get back to training, Z who has always always supported me in all the training I've ever done and still inspires/encourages and motivates me to press on and bring out my inner Tiger, the lovely, foxy Fernwood ladies especially Rosy whom have always, every single day, encouraged me, pointed out my changes and accomplishments, congratulating me and generally have been so so very very nice !!! Lovely girls !!!, the lovely blog followers, the 12wbt Darwin Crew whom are always there in a heart beat for a pick me up, witty line or a kick up the bum when it's needed and the whole 12wbt family and support gurus for their constant wisdom, advice, support, encouragement and well basically love... and last but certainly not least Michelle for making this amazing journey available to absolutely every single body world wide !!! It's truly incredible and life changing.... So to everyone from the bottom of my heart....

Thank you !!!

XX

Friday 24 June 2011

Friday 24th June 2011 (Week 5, Day 33)....

Friday on my mind……

Well this week is about “ Being The Best Version of Yourself”…..  It’s hard to keep the “self” focus sometimes when there are a hell of a lot of people doing this program and you want to have their weight loss/BMI/Body Fat % etc even sometimes just their facilities available…. It can feel quite competitive at times too…. I had my moment a couple of weeks ago when people were discussing doing cardio whilst body sculpting…. Some jumped in with a big cross screaming “Nooooooo you can’t do that, it’s detrimental to your goals”, others obviously had different opinions… but it does start you thinking…..

Basically for anyone reading that’s curious…. Look at the 2 footy codes…. AFL guys do a lot of running around (cardio) and are athletic and lean…. NRL guys do short strong bursts and are more muscular and lean… your body shape differs with your actual training and you need to specifically train for either fitness OR muscle definition…..  you really need to make a decision of what you want to achieve and then go about it. Not just train and expect the body that is in your mind to just pop out….

Check out this link for an amazing journey and inspiring woman that explains perfectly what I’ve just said (thanks to Elizabeth for sharing it in the forums)….. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/make-fitness-your-life-sentence.html?mcid=face

Anyway I took the step back and thought that I like to do cardio, I like to run, do a bit of RPM/spin, jump around for some Body Attack, etc….. then that turned into a panic of “oh god, I shouldn’t be doing this if I want to be at the same standard as the other Lean and Strongers”… and played on my mind from there….. festered on my mind is more apt…..

Epiphany moment !!! “Be The Best Version of MYSELF” – not the best version of a “person doing the Lean and Strong program”…..

The best version of me is to be happy and healthy…. Simple, short and sweet…..  Now to be happy, I want that nice muscle tone, sure…. But I also want to be able to do a class if I want…. Go for a run to the beach and watch the sunrise….. I’m a Lean & Strong participant because I love weights and want the challenge that Michelle offers, not specifically to win a prize for the biggest guns or best abs (if such prizes even exist) This journey has become so much more than getting the best sculpted body… My mindset is changing and this body wants to get up and live life…. It wants to run, jump, dance, lift weights and more…… everything !!!!

And readers, between you and me…. Why can’t I have it all ???? Right now I’m definitely a better version of myself… and I’m pretty sure by the end of week 12 I’ll be so close to being the best version of myself that I’ve ever been that it will bring tears to my eyes…. Not just physically but I think I’m becoming such a more wholesome and dare I say it balanced person mentally as well, without all the sugars and caffeine there’s a clearer focus and I feel in complete control of my decisions …. Although I do have that “binge, binge, binge” voice come through at times…. Why would I want to turn this newly built temple into a nightclub and trash it ????

Why ruin this fantastic healthy empowered feeling ??

Well feeling like that is definitely a better version of me…….  

Anyway, moving along…. Food for thought….

Are you the best version of yourself ? what would it take to become that person ? are you actively trying to be that person ? do you want to actively try and be that person ??? If you are the best (or better) version of yourself….. And I know some of you out there who are !!!! Congratulations…. You are truly inspiring !!!!  XX

Anyway, Friday is Core Day (Yep a whole special hour of training dedicated to core and not the nice relaxing yoga type training either….lol) so I’ll leave you with a little friend XX

Thursday 23 June 2011

Wednesday 22nd June 2011

Well Wednesday weigh in came as a little bit of a surprise.

After completely nailing a happy healthy and well under calorie intake on Saturday at the V8’s, I did go over on the Sunday after having “just a couple more” drinks….. oh and I was starving when I got home in the wee hours of the morning and was very happy I didn’t do a take away run, but had a reasonably healthy avocado on toast. So I was a bit off on the Sunday….. I was good enough to train Sunday morning after only 5 hours sleep and maybe that is what saved me for the weigh in….

Total loss this week = 900gm. So basically a kg. It’s taken me under my “I’m not going below weight” so now I’m fussing about either upping the food intake or lowering the extra training I’m doing…. I think I’m just going to even it out and if I train more on a particular day, then I’ll eat more and vice versa…

Nothing new really to report…

Oh ! Last Saturday was our “mini milestone” day so I decided I’d go for a nice early run to the beach and back (which is over a couple of rather unfriendly hills). So I ended up running it (8km) in 48min inc warm up and cool down, which I’m pretty happy with as I’m not doing fitness training, but focusing on strength. After the run I also did what Michelle gave us as our challenge which was a circuit of runs and various exercises… There was A LOT of confusion over how the circuit was to be done as all it said was 3x rounds, try and finish in under 8min… So it was assumed that it was to take 8min per round of all exercises, which I marked as impossible, but was happy that it only took me about 10min to finish a round even after a 8km run so I was pretty happy and felt rather good about myself…. Turns out (after reading the forums the next day) that it was 8min to do 3 rounds of each run/exercise (eg 3 x 400m run with 3 x 20 push ups in 8min then move on to the next set)….. so I think I would have pretty much accomplished that one. I think I have it coming up again in a few weeks so I’ll do it the other way and see how I go. I’m pretty sure when it came to the overall time it took to finish the whole lot I was within the time frame. PS… I really really hate burpees…. They suck…

Well, training this week is still basically concentrating on individual muscles each session and absolutely hammering them which I’m enjoying a lot more that training just a little bit on each muscle each day. Certainly “feel the burn” the next day.

Nutritionally it’s an interesting week ahead with a couple of things I wouldn’t expect to see from Michelle like lamb cutlets and buttermilk pancakes…… ??? I’m not saying no to them however :D. Food at the moment is playing on my mind a lot. I keep thinking "binge, binge, binge". It's an internal battle knowing full well I won't be binging, but still telling myself it would be nice.... exhausting..... not sure why the "Labrador" is persisting as I'm just not throwing away all the work I've done.....

Photos will be coming soon.... still getting over the "before" shot myself before I unleash it to the world.... :)...

Thought of the day........

When was the last time you truly did something that was completely selfless to make someone elses day better/happier or just to make them smile ???? did you help an old lady by taking a trolley back for her? did you just say good morning to someone and really mean it? what have you done ????

Friday 17 June 2011

V8 Friday !!!! June 17th 2011

My biggest red flag is coming up this weekend….. It’s V8 weekend….. hang on…... IT’S V8 WEEKEND !!!!!!! WOO HOO, which use to entail 12 hours of boozing and eating race food (well not heaps, just lunch and dinner)..... you know ! the usual crap food like chips and gravy and other disgusting grease ball yuck….. Oh and lots of slushies…..

2 days of racing, 12 hours each day, 2 x concerts (INXS on Saturday night and Short Stack & Bliss N Esso Sunday night)...... how on earth do I make it through a weekend that use to be the (well besides cup day) THE biggest weekend in Darwin and on our personal social calendar ?? Is it a red flag or park the wagon, go for the checkered flag and return to it fighting fit on Monday ???

I’ve set plans…. extra training (lucky the Super Session on Saturday will give me some extra calorie burning) and I plan to do a ripper again Sunday before we head off….. I plan to have a wholesome and filling breakfast, take some snacks, and make a lunch…. I feel like an angel even typing that smile..... BUT WHAT ABOUT DRINKS ?????? Every year the XXXX girls invite us to the retreat for a few free beers…... and it’s such a fun social occasion of “hey it’s your shout”..... “Geez you’re falling behind girlie” (Like I’m going to keep up with the boys, lol !!!!)...... I thought that a few drinks would be fine…. it’s within my calories etc…... yarda yarda yarda…..... but we’re talking 12 hours here people…....

I’m not that unhealthy person anymore and don’t plan for it to be like every year when we go nuts with our friends and end up partying the night away after the concerts…. I can’t even imagine the new healthy wholesome me doing that anymore….. but would you say “ho hum” to the calorie blow out…...  and if you want another drink just have it…... ???

I understand in the end I need to personally weigh up the choices and make a decision of which I’m committed to more…. but it plays on my mind that this new body is for LIFE….. I don’t want to give up a life for the body…..

Vrooooommmmmmm Vrrroooooommmmm - Excitement is already building :D
GO HOLDEN !!!!!

PS the clapping push ups are still on the "fail" list...... did worse last night than I did last week, but I did absolutley hammer my chest before I attempted them so I did expect less than impressive results...

Won't leave with a food for though but a nice picture for that extra motivation (and a perve for the boys :D)

"Motivation is what gets you started, habit is what keeps you going"

Wednesday 15 June 2011

Wednesday 15th June 2011 (Day 24) - Week 4 Major Measurement Day

Well another Wednesday and another weigh-in….. not overly happy with this week’s result of a loss of a mere 600gm. I’ve certainly put in the work and nutrition to reach 1kg and it really has upset me. I’m training like a freaking athlete and eating like a saint for petes sake. I understand everyone is different and losses will differ and all that psycho babble, but at the end of the day I put in more than enough effort and sweat to get a better result than I did.

It doesn’t help sometimes when you see other people have a bit of an off week and people say “well a loss is a loss”….. doesn’t take away the fact how hard you worked doesn’t equate……  I’m loving people saying also that you have to have a deficit of at least 7,000 calories per week to achieve a 1kg loss….. My deficit was 6,456….. 100cal more than last week (1kg loss last week) and I still only achieved 600gm…..  Sometimes when people are being nice and helping it’s actually hurting because you are already doing all in your power to achieve your goals….. it’s just a bad week…… breathe in and out...... phew......

I can’t dwell on that and am going to finish this no matter the figures on paper….. or set backs….. or upsets…… I'm in the weight range I want to be in and I need to stay focus and not get sidetracked by numbers on scales.... weight loss is not my goal.

ANYWAY – Moving along…. to the better stuff…..

Today is also the day we get to measure and check figures (other than weight) from when we first started. In summary

Chest – lost .05cm
Waist – lost 4cm
Hips – lost 6cm (wtf ?? – yes I did check a few times)
Thighs – lost 3.5cm each (another wtf ???)
Weight – lost 4kg exactly…. guess when it's evened out over the 4 weeks it seems a lot better.....

For me the body fat percentage is my main focus and I started in the average (for females my age) range at 26.2%. My goal was to get to 25% by week 4. Well this morning I was 26.4% and had a cry, at 4.15pm I was 21.6% and when I got home I was 24.6%.... You've got to be joking ! seriously !..... a 5% swing in 1 day ???? I've decided to go with 24.6% as it seems the most realistic to me. 5% loss in 4 weeks seems far too much.....  1.6% is good enough for me and seems the most reasonable.....

My fitness test is also completed and results are in:

1km run time trial – 4min 18sec (down 1min 13sec) – surprised at that as it felt like I was running forever !!!!!
Push Ups in 1min – 33 off toes plus 11 off knee (up 14 off toe, down 11 off knee - up only 3 in total)
Wall Sit (doing a squat against the wall) – held for 3min 51sec (up 48sec)
Reach Test – 10cm (a further 6cm from 4 weeks ago)

I must admit, typing that gives me a sense of achievement and pride and damn I feel pretty freaking good about it….. I’ve still got another 2 fitness tests to do in weeks 8 & 12 and I just can’t see how much faster I can run etc…. how far can the human body be pushed ???

Well I'm starving and have a healthy spaghetti bolognaise waiting for me.... I must say I freaking love the food on this journey.... Good variety, although I feel most of the time I'm still starving..... will find the balance soon.....

Hmmmm what should be food for thought tonight ?????

How do you handle upsets and setbacks (both in training and life) ??? Do you raid the fridge and wallow in pity or do you get off your butt and try and make a change ????? Do you throw in the towel or throw on your shoes and work even harder ??? What do YOU do ???

~~~~~~~ Train the mind and the body will follow ~~~~~~~~~

Tuesday 14 June 2011

Week 3 Wrap Up

Well, all in all it was a good week. Had a 1kg weight loss, ate like an angel and didn't miss any training. Well not that I normally would anyway but it's always nice to have a clean slate with no disappointments.

My challenge in the program this week was 3 x 12rep rounds of push ups off toes with a clap..... well I got 5 in the first and 3rd round, but they were far from a clap.... more like a ninja hand touch.... need more lift on the "up".... They're in week 4's schedule so I get to have another go.....

The weekends are getting harder with food as I just want to chill out and not be careful, have a Sunday Sesh, that sort of thing. I still haven't waivered, but it plays on my mind continuously. I find now that my nutrition, although is very diverse, tasty and fuels the body, I'm finding that I'm craving more than I would have if I wasn't on the program. I want foods that I normally wouldn't have eaten in the first place which is weird and now have started new habits like a skinny cow or hot choc after dinner because I still have excess calories to use up.... Need to nip that one in the bud really quick because when I hit the finish line I can see that this habit will be here to stay and progress to less healthy options..... And I have the urge to just have a binge and get that nice full and satisfied feeling instead of just being satiated.... Not sure where this has come from.... anyway enough of food or I'll get hungry....

Well Week 4 is all about "training willpower" and basically recognising you're not hungry but are actually reacting to mental trigger eg emotional eating or habits.... Should be a treat as I have pretty great willpower, once I'm in the training zone it will take heaven and earth to break my determination..... Although a major red flag for the coming week is the V8 weekend..... very concerned that I will get caught up in the day with a few drinks over what I'm "allowed" etc..... It's always previously been a big weekend so it will be a milestone to keep it under control..... definately watch this space for that one... The intentions and plans are in place.... but it is a big weekend and 2 very long days.....

So food for thought this week is "am I hungry or am I just having a "moment"?" - are you ??

Till later
Kez XX

Wednesday 8 June 2011

Wednesday 8th June (Day 17)

Well chilling/sitting waiting for Michelle’s live online video to start…. Wonder what we’ll talk about tonight….

Today is weigh in day…. Lost another 1kg, well going by the new scales I bought. The old ones were friendlier and gave me a loss of 1.2, but I’ve never taken the easy way out of a challenge so 1kg it is. Was a little disappointed and expected more due to not wavering once from the eating plan and completing the training schedule (going over and above our set program). I guess it all evens out though with muscle gain and in Week 4 when I get to check %’s and re-do my fitness test and measurements hopefully I’ll be happily surprised. I’m definitely losing size and some of my previously tight clothes hang off me now. Which is really annoying especially with the expensive ones !!!! grumble grumble grumble….. bad…. But good :D

Really enjoying the new training format this week. Absolutely loving pyramid sets and focussing on just 2 muscle groups a day and just hammering them. Certainly feel it over the following 2 days. My poor back and triceps got smashed last night….. Quite tight across the back and I’m sure the triceps will have their whinge before tomorrow… Love it…. Grow little muscles, groooowwww…. And I’m very happy to have been given a compliment for my jumping chin ups…. Although my 5 second “hold at the top and let yourself slowly down” started to get more like 3 seconds :)……

Tonight was the legs, particularly quads so I’ll be walking funny tomorrow. It was really nice leaving the gym and one of the girls working there asked what I was training for because even in the 2 weeks she's been there I've worked hard and my body shape is changing already..... Definately a warm fuzzy from that :)

Tomorrow is the real challenge for me “push ups off toes with a clap”…….. 3 x 12 sets……

Had a great phone call from someone special today who really made me feel great about taking part in this journey. Reminded me that I can definitely do this and will accomplish it with ease (although it’s not easy lol) and I have all the ingredients to do so….. grit, determination and knowledge….. so thank you Z !!!! I know you’re always in my ear telling me to just stop being a princess and just get on with it…..

Well that’s all for now yummy minestrone and zucchini soup waiting for me nom nom nom…. Oh and I have ordered my race day dress for this year……. In a size smaller than I am now….. there is NO WAY I’m giving up on this journey….. I will never find another dress !!!!

Till next time XX

Tuesday 7 June 2011

Tuesday 7th June (Week 3)

Well, although it's week 3 of this transformation journey I thought that with another 9 weeks to go I may as well document and share the trials, tribulations, breakdowns and breakthroughs of this 12 week Michelle Bridges Body Transformation. Although I already hit the gym often I thought this would be a good opportunity to test myself and see just how far I could really push myself.

Day 1 of the program was Monday 23rd May, and well the first week was filled with being tired, grumpy and basically detoxing from all the sugars, fats and caffeine that I had become accustomed to. I had my first meltdown on Day 4 as I was getting up at 5am to get to training and not getting home until after 7pm and I just could not get my head around the fact that I need to have a life as well as fit in this schedule "Body for Life, not Life for Body". A lovely ambassador for the program said to just take it one day at a time, so I sat back, looked at my training schedule, trimmed here, moved items to there and now feel a lot better. I'm still up between 5-5.30am, but cut out any afternoon training that was not a part of the scheduled program so now I can get home and actually have dinner before 8pm.

Week 2 of the program was pretty much more of the same. I've got 4 days of weights, 1 day of core work and Saturdays are what is called "Super Session Saturday" which is 2 hours of balls to the wall training which is to burn 1000 calories in one session (I'm averaging 1100 - which I'm happy with as others doing this program have to go over the 2 hours to reach this target). I do not look forward to Saturdays, they are hard, heavy and sweaty...... but I feel like I've accomplished something afterwards. The first weeks Sat Sesh I was dreading.... but I had to look at each individual exercise on it's own and not the whole thing. It's rather overwhelming.

The food is really really good. I've ditched everything that I usually eat (although previously I would be healthy anyway except for the weekend sessions). I've decided to eat everything that Michelle has planned for us. No point doing this if I don't follow it to the letter. The first week I found I was absolutely starving using the snack options given in the sheets so I introduced my protein shakes in and feel (and train) a hell of a lot better. I basically wasn't getting enough protein and although a lot of others doing this program state that Michelle is feeding us exactly what we need I believe that I cannot get what I need to sustain this training level with a lunch consisting of pumpkin soup...... definitely a day for a protein shake as an arvo snack :D

ANYWAY, week 3 feeling a lot better and more confident that I can do this (well until I get next weeks exercise schedule and say "she wants me to do what????", which seems to becoming my Thursday ritual. I get my exercise schedule for the following week, I get overwhelmed, want to quit, go and train, and realise I can do this...... This weeks training challenge I can see in the program for me are push ups (off toes) with a clap..... 3 rounds of 12 reps..... glad Michelle has the confidence that I can pull that off.......

Oh before I go, better pop in some figures here for you to watch over the coming weeks..... Starting weight 64.5kg, lost 1.1kg week 1 and another 1.3kg in week 2's weigh in. I only have 2.1kg until I hit my absolute goal weight which I don't want to go below.... Starting body fat% was 26.2% (not happy with this at all).... This will be checked again in week 4 so stay tuned.....

Will keep you posted..... Cheers and see you at the finish line !!!