Just a quick update on my end of week 5.
It's 20 to 7am and I am up and just about to start getting the kids ready for school and then go to my Monday Morning session at Glass House.
Last week Wednesday and Friday sessions were hard but fun. The team games on Friday especially. Being on the 12 week challenge, Bianca asks you to do a food diary and a daily summary, where you mark yourself out of 10 for how hard you exercised, if you stuck to healthy eating and how much water you had. I don't know why, but I completely forget to fill it out. I go for days and then remember, even when it is on the fridge. So this week my challenge is to make sure I do it.
The eating plan is now routine. I have changed my habits and my head must be in the right place as it doesn't interfere and send me messages and try to jeopardize my aim. I seem to be content with sitting down and having a bowl of cereal in the morning and then a protein shake, rather than three or four pieces of toast with butter on, eating while making packed lunches or dashing out the door.
I grab a handful of nuts mid morning and then enjoy a chicken or tuna wrap crammed with salad for lunch. Mid afternoon, some cold meat and then tea is chicken, fish or beef with plenty of veg. I had a icy pole the other day and some wine at the weekend but I managed to enjoy a healthy BBQ on Saturday by having a little steak and plenty of salad.
I know I have been sticking to a healthy plan, but going back to the weight obsession, I am still the same weight as I was last Monday. I have to tell myself that my body is changing, the weight will come off, but sometimes it's hard to get it into my stupid head. You want that steady weight loss. Used to being weighed once a week and getting a slow clap from other people in the circle. I am sure I am not alone. So maybe this week is the week where you are really good and nothing comes off, which can be a trigger for saying those classic words 'bugger it'.
Maybe I am having too many nuts, as they are easy to put in a container for when you are out and about. They are also moorish so I might be having too many and that is not good. I will cut down on my nut intake this week and see if this makes a difference.
It is tough and no matter what you tell yourself, when you work hard and those scales don't move, you are disappointed. What I am being positive about, is that I am moving house in 11 days and so for the rest of the week and next, I will be packing up the house, packing and moving boxes, stacking them downstairs in the garage and this means I am going to be more active than a normal week and hopefully next week, the scales may move just a smidge!
Off to do packed lunches and enjoy sitting eating my breakfast!
Monday, 24 August 2009
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
Endurance Training - It's Not Just About Running
For someone who has never run, I have watched myself learn to move faster than a walk over the last 4 weeks. I still don't consider that the action I do with my feet moving in a forward motion whilst huffing and puffing is actually running, but I know as I continue to practice each day, I will in fact be able to turn this funny jog thing into a proper run.
Yesterday we worked on our endurance. It was a hard session and we had a new lady Peta and a couple of ladies who have joined at level 2, which means they already have some sort of fitness level unlike me who started on level 1, coming from a very sedentary inactive life.
We ran, did some stretches, ran, did some lunges, ran, did more lunges, ran, did sit ups, ran, did squats, ran, ran again, ran some more, did core work, ran again and did I mention.... we ran! All this running, as I explained, is more like a steady jog for me, but at least I was able to keep going until the end. Something I never could have done four weeks ago.
Yesterday morning I weighed myself and was extremely surprised to have lost around 8 kgs. This was short lived as I realised this morning, the needle on my scales were not set to zero (possibly having been played with by a child!) so once I had adjusted it, I could measure properly. I have lost a stone or 6kgs, which is still fantastic coupled with my new measurements from Friday.
I have a very busy few weeks ahead of me. We are moving house in just over two weeks and I have yet to put anything in a box in preparation. We have visitors staying this weekend and the following weekend it is the schools fair and my husband and my anniversary. So there is very little time for packing either weekend really and I refuse to celebrate our anniversary by packing up our house again. We moved here from the UK in December and this will be our 4th rental house. So you can image how tired I am of moving.
I know my weight gain is stress related and all that moving house several times, has meant my mental state has been a catalyst for weight gain. With Bianca's help and training, I know I am going to be less tempted to disappear into the pantry to make myself feel and cope better.
Endurance is the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions. After enduring all that running, when weeks ago I couldn't have done it, proves to me that with a positive mental attitude I can cope with this next move and not gain weight, no matter what life throws at me.
Yesterday we worked on our endurance. It was a hard session and we had a new lady Peta and a couple of ladies who have joined at level 2, which means they already have some sort of fitness level unlike me who started on level 1, coming from a very sedentary inactive life.
We ran, did some stretches, ran, did some lunges, ran, did more lunges, ran, did sit ups, ran, did squats, ran, ran again, ran some more, did core work, ran again and did I mention.... we ran! All this running, as I explained, is more like a steady jog for me, but at least I was able to keep going until the end. Something I never could have done four weeks ago.
Yesterday morning I weighed myself and was extremely surprised to have lost around 8 kgs. This was short lived as I realised this morning, the needle on my scales were not set to zero (possibly having been played with by a child!) so once I had adjusted it, I could measure properly. I have lost a stone or 6kgs, which is still fantastic coupled with my new measurements from Friday.
I have a very busy few weeks ahead of me. We are moving house in just over two weeks and I have yet to put anything in a box in preparation. We have visitors staying this weekend and the following weekend it is the schools fair and my husband and my anniversary. So there is very little time for packing either weekend really and I refuse to celebrate our anniversary by packing up our house again. We moved here from the UK in December and this will be our 4th rental house. So you can image how tired I am of moving.
I know my weight gain is stress related and all that moving house several times, has meant my mental state has been a catalyst for weight gain. With Bianca's help and training, I know I am going to be less tempted to disappear into the pantry to make myself feel and cope better.
Endurance is the ability or strength to continue or last, especially despite fatigue, stress, or other adverse conditions. After enduring all that running, when weeks ago I couldn't have done it, proves to me that with a positive mental attitude I can cope with this next move and not gain weight, no matter what life throws at me.
Friday, 14 August 2009
Carrying a Spare Tyre!
Wednesday's session was hard. We warmed up by playing mini netball and then did a little circuit of weights & lunges. We did more agility courses such as crab walking to a marker, running to the next, weaving in and out of markers, running to the next marker and then side stepping again and running back home to do it all again.
Bianca and Sasha had to be somewhere after the class so I couldn't be measured, but Bianca said me plus two others would be measured today, Friday, after the workout.
Today I found really hard. There were 4 of us, Bec, Amanda, Christie and me. When I saw the tyres on the ground, I really didn't know what to expect. I went with Bec and we had to pick up the tyre between us and run to a corner of the three netball courts. We then had to do step touches up onto the tyre for 30 seconds, then pick up the tyre and run to the next corner and do press ups. Then, you got it... run to the next corner and I think we did the steps again, before the final corner and the press ups again. We then did some stretches and I thought "Thank god that's over" but it wasn't. Those tyres featured heavily (pardon the pun!) in today's session.
We lifted them, used them as hurdles, picked them up again and ran round the cricket field, stopping every now and then, not for a rest, but to do push ups again. We came to a hill and had to squat down and lift up the tyre and turn it over and gradually it worked it's way up the hill. We called on our partners to help us carry it back down, then it was their turn. While we were waiting we assumed the plank position then brought each leg up in succession tapping on the ground before going back and carrying on until our partner had made the top of the hill and we were needed to help carry the tyre down.
I was exhausted but we still had to run and carry the tyre all the way back to the starting point, where our drink bottles and shade were waiting for us to recover.
A minute or so later, we had another circuit of hurdles, lunges, weights and more hurdles until we were absolutely pooped and collapsed on our towels in the shade to do our stretches, sit ups and core muscle toning.
So who would have thought that using a spare tyre could get rid of your 'spare tyre'. I hope this is not a recurring theme here as next week we could be using Muffin Tops, Saddlebags and an overweight donkey... work that one out!
After the session, Bianca measured me again. I was measured 4 weeks ago and so this was the bit I knew would give me the boost I needed after being worried about my weight.
Four weeks ago, Bianca measured my bust, arm, waist, belly button, hips, then thighs and legs in 5 places, twice with legs together and 3 measurements on one leg. So a total of 10 measurements.
By working hard over the last four weeks and eating healthily, I have lost a total of 36.5cm over these 10 measurements including:
Bust 3cm
Arm 1.5cm
Waist 10cm
Hips 6 cm
Upper thighs 10cm (measured round both)
and I have gained a cm just above my knees, where I have gained muscle
I am going to celebrate tonight, not sure how. A glass or two of wine perhaps and my free choice meal of the week? Funny, but I think I would be happier not rewarding myself with food and drink. Perhaps I will go to the shops and treat myself to something else, like a dvd or a pair of earrings or window shop for smaller clothes. If I can achieve that in 4 weeks, I am looking forward to seeing what shape and size will I be after 12!!
Bianca and Sasha had to be somewhere after the class so I couldn't be measured, but Bianca said me plus two others would be measured today, Friday, after the workout.
Today I found really hard. There were 4 of us, Bec, Amanda, Christie and me. When I saw the tyres on the ground, I really didn't know what to expect. I went with Bec and we had to pick up the tyre between us and run to a corner of the three netball courts. We then had to do step touches up onto the tyre for 30 seconds, then pick up the tyre and run to the next corner and do press ups. Then, you got it... run to the next corner and I think we did the steps again, before the final corner and the press ups again. We then did some stretches and I thought "Thank god that's over" but it wasn't. Those tyres featured heavily (pardon the pun!) in today's session.
We lifted them, used them as hurdles, picked them up again and ran round the cricket field, stopping every now and then, not for a rest, but to do push ups again. We came to a hill and had to squat down and lift up the tyre and turn it over and gradually it worked it's way up the hill. We called on our partners to help us carry it back down, then it was their turn. While we were waiting we assumed the plank position then brought each leg up in succession tapping on the ground before going back and carrying on until our partner had made the top of the hill and we were needed to help carry the tyre down.
I was exhausted but we still had to run and carry the tyre all the way back to the starting point, where our drink bottles and shade were waiting for us to recover.
A minute or so later, we had another circuit of hurdles, lunges, weights and more hurdles until we were absolutely pooped and collapsed on our towels in the shade to do our stretches, sit ups and core muscle toning.
So who would have thought that using a spare tyre could get rid of your 'spare tyre'. I hope this is not a recurring theme here as next week we could be using Muffin Tops, Saddlebags and an overweight donkey... work that one out!
After the session, Bianca measured me again. I was measured 4 weeks ago and so this was the bit I knew would give me the boost I needed after being worried about my weight.
Four weeks ago, Bianca measured my bust, arm, waist, belly button, hips, then thighs and legs in 5 places, twice with legs together and 3 measurements on one leg. So a total of 10 measurements.
By working hard over the last four weeks and eating healthily, I have lost a total of 36.5cm over these 10 measurements including:
Bust 3cm
Arm 1.5cm
Waist 10cm
Hips 6 cm
Upper thighs 10cm (measured round both)
and I have gained a cm just above my knees, where I have gained muscle
I am going to celebrate tonight, not sure how. A glass or two of wine perhaps and my free choice meal of the week? Funny, but I think I would be happier not rewarding myself with food and drink. Perhaps I will go to the shops and treat myself to something else, like a dvd or a pair of earrings or window shop for smaller clothes. If I can achieve that in 4 weeks, I am looking forward to seeing what shape and size will I be after 12!!
Tuesday, 11 August 2009
Fighting the Scales
On Friday we did a fitness test just to gain an idea of what levels we were at and to set goals for the forthcoming weeks. Christie and Bec were the other two being put through our paces by Bianca. We did as many sit ups and push ups in a minute as we could so that when we are tested again in 4 weeks, we can measure our improvement. I only managed 45 seconds of sit ups before I had to stop, so my immediate aim is to make sure I complete the minute next time!!
We also did a agility test and the 'beep test' where a CD is played with timed beeps and you have to run continuously between two markers 20 metres apart reaching the line of each marker on the beep and turning and running back again. The beeps get gradually faster so not only do you have to keep running, but be able to pick up the pace. Bec and I only made it to level 3.2 I think, so in another 4 weeks I hope to be able to reach 5 or 6. Christie did really well and got to level 7.
When I came home and told my son we did the beep test, he laughed at my 3.2 as he made it up to 11 when he did it at school. Nothing like a bit of moral support eh?
We also worked on our 'core' and did a lot of muscle work to strengthen (or in my case, just find!) the muscles across our abdomen, which are rather weak after having kids.
The weekend was good. On Friday night me, my husband and kids walked down to the fish and chip shop and bought our tea. I had grilled fish and a garden salad and we took our takeaway and a bottle of wine down to a patch of grass over looking the coast. We live in Mapleton so the view down to Maroochydore is spectacular at night with all the lights on. At 6.30 precisely, sitting on our picnic rug and sipping a glass, we watched a huge orange moon come up out of the ocean and it was beautiful.
Saturday I made chocolate brownies with my daughter. She licked the bowl, wooden spoon and cleared up the crumbs in the baking tin and I didn't want to eat anything. On Sunday we went to Caloundra and went rock pooling. I found a handful of cowries and after lunch (chicken salad!) at a lovely café we explored a little more then headed home having caught some sun and chilled a bit! I even fed brownie crumbs to some ants and delighted in watching them struggle to carry huge bits back to their nests rather than eating it myself.
Monday was back to class and this time it was only me who turned up. Sasha, Bianca's sister put me through my hour of training, ending up with her helping me to stretch my calves and thigh muscles and realising they are not very supple. So I am to work on them this week, doing stretches for example, while watching tv or in the mornings. Although I have felt a lot more energised most of the times, but still have fat and blobby depressed moments. After training on Monday, even though I had a really good session, I felt bloated and saw myself in a mirror and was surprised by my shape. My 6 year old daughter then told me I looked like I was going to have a baby. Thanks a bunch. I am also disheartened when I stand on the scales. After three weeks of working hard and eating healthily, cutting out carbs and upping the protein, I thought I would have lost more weight.
So this morning I found on a website, this encouraging text
"The number one reason most people exercise is to lose weight. People think that exercise will automatically make them lose pounds on the scale as well as inches on the measuring tape. However, as fat cells get smaller from all the calories being burned in exercise, muscle cells respond by getting stronger and heavier. That's how a flabby body turns into a firm one. If you don't realize that this change in body composition is taking place, it can be very discouraging to see the scale hardly budge or even climb a few pounds. There are people who are so obsessed with the scales because this is the only way they know how to evaluate their weight loss progress that losing inches or even a clothes size or two is not enough to convince them that they are successful. This is too bad because no one walks around with a sign on their forehead announcing to the entire world what they weigh. If you are one of these people, please try and change this attitude because you will only get depressed over nothing. In fact, you should celebrate your new body composition!"
So after reading that, I will try to get out of the habit of standing on the scales each morning, then again after I have done a wee, and again after a poo and embrace the fact that I am doing something to change my body shape and fitness levels and it isn't solely about what the scales say. I was 82 kgs when I started and I will weigh myself at the end. Perhaps I should put my scales away until then......
I am being measured tomorrow too so these measurements should be different to my first day after 4 weeks. This I am sure will give me the encouragement and results which I am looking for. I will post my results when I know! Wish me luck!!
Wednesday, 5 August 2009
Food Rules v Food Rules
I have lost weight, which is fantastic. The first few of many kilos. After 2 sessions this week, I am aware that I am also improving on my fitness levels. Two weeks ago I could have never run as I did today nor done the push ups on Monday. At home, this means I can easily run up the stairs and run up the garden steps to the car, which I couldn't have done a few weeks ago without losing my breath. Yesterday I had a dynamic day doing the washing and ironing and I was speed pegging and speed ironing, sucking my tummy in as I did!
Yesterday after school I went for a walk with Julie and the kids. She had a back operation not long ago and walks twice a week, so finally we managed it together and walked a new route for her round Mapleton. She walks fast which is good for me, but her little boy was exhausted! At least all the kids slept well last night.
On Monday I was on my own with Bianca and she worked me very hard. 1 on 1 is more intensive but I gave it my best and was even able to chat while we did some of the exercises. Again, this is a vast improvement on two weeks ago, when I couldn't have spoken a word whilst doing anything. Phil took todays session and there were three of us. We ran, crab walked, did press ups, lunges, step ups, ran again, ran again backwards up a hill and pumped up down and round about with our powerade bottles filled with sand. My arms ached and my legs wobbled, but bizzarely, it felt good!
One thing I noticed at the weekend, is that I stopped craving bread and I am not missing it at all. On the eating plan, it is one of the things you replace with rye bread or wraps. With three kids and packed lunches to organise, scoffing on toast and eating sandwiches was just part of my daily routine.
So now my day consists of eating along these lines and I am actually enjoying it.
Breakfast: Oatabix, a bowl of Allbran or poached eggs or rye bread + somethimes a protein shake
Snack: tuna with rice cakes or home made hummous with veges and a mandarin from our tree
Lunch: is a mixed bean salad, a wrap, or rice and cooked chicken with salad
Snack: cold meats or a protien shake and some nuts
Evening: Salmon stir fry, savoury mince in lettuce wraps, fish wrapped in foil with herbs, veges and lemon.
When I have tried other diets before, I have still always craved something whether it be alcohol, biscuits, cheese, chips. I am surprised I have felt none of this. It must be the combination of exercising and the determination to do well, but in this early stage of the challenge, food no longer seems to be ruling me. In fact a couple of times, I have forgotten to eat and realised it was mid afternoon and I hadn't had lunch.
It is hard making such a change to your lifestyle, and I believe I am being reasonable with myself not expecting to be able to do everything form the day I start. You can't go from being a lard arse, sitting about all day and overeating to suddenly exercising everyday until you collapse, changing your diet so drastically. It takes time to learn everything and introduce new things to your daily life. So I am setting myself mini challenges and last week was to drink more water. I managed it about 50% of the time, so I need to continue with that this week. This week I am also challenging myself to make sure I exercise on the days I don't go to a session.
So more water + exercise everyday + keep eating healthily are what I have to keep at the forefront of my mind.
My aim is to be a size 12 again and I know will be there in time for the summer!!
Yesterday after school I went for a walk with Julie and the kids. She had a back operation not long ago and walks twice a week, so finally we managed it together and walked a new route for her round Mapleton. She walks fast which is good for me, but her little boy was exhausted! At least all the kids slept well last night.
On Monday I was on my own with Bianca and she worked me very hard. 1 on 1 is more intensive but I gave it my best and was even able to chat while we did some of the exercises. Again, this is a vast improvement on two weeks ago, when I couldn't have spoken a word whilst doing anything. Phil took todays session and there were three of us. We ran, crab walked, did press ups, lunges, step ups, ran again, ran again backwards up a hill and pumped up down and round about with our powerade bottles filled with sand. My arms ached and my legs wobbled, but bizzarely, it felt good!
One thing I noticed at the weekend, is that I stopped craving bread and I am not missing it at all. On the eating plan, it is one of the things you replace with rye bread or wraps. With three kids and packed lunches to organise, scoffing on toast and eating sandwiches was just part of my daily routine.
So now my day consists of eating along these lines and I am actually enjoying it.
Breakfast: Oatabix, a bowl of Allbran or poached eggs or rye bread + somethimes a protein shake
Snack: tuna with rice cakes or home made hummous with veges and a mandarin from our tree
Lunch: is a mixed bean salad, a wrap, or rice and cooked chicken with salad
Snack: cold meats or a protien shake and some nuts
Evening: Salmon stir fry, savoury mince in lettuce wraps, fish wrapped in foil with herbs, veges and lemon.
When I have tried other diets before, I have still always craved something whether it be alcohol, biscuits, cheese, chips. I am surprised I have felt none of this. It must be the combination of exercising and the determination to do well, but in this early stage of the challenge, food no longer seems to be ruling me. In fact a couple of times, I have forgotten to eat and realised it was mid afternoon and I hadn't had lunch.
It is hard making such a change to your lifestyle, and I believe I am being reasonable with myself not expecting to be able to do everything form the day I start. You can't go from being a lard arse, sitting about all day and overeating to suddenly exercising everyday until you collapse, changing your diet so drastically. It takes time to learn everything and introduce new things to your daily life. So I am setting myself mini challenges and last week was to drink more water. I managed it about 50% of the time, so I need to continue with that this week. This week I am also challenging myself to make sure I exercise on the days I don't go to a session.
So more water + exercise everyday + keep eating healthily are what I have to keep at the forefront of my mind.
My aim is to be a size 12 again and I know will be there in time for the summer!!
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Playing With Pegs Gives You Better Legs!
On Friday I had my 14 year old and my 11 year old off sick so they kept each other company and I was able to make the 9-10am session. There were three of us and we played games and laughed a lot. After warming up, Bianca gave us 4 pegs and told us to clip them onto the back of our t-shirts. She then explained that we had to run about and grab the pegs off your opponants back whilst trying to protect our own. Boy it was funny. We did it a few times and it brought back more memories of playing centre in netball (when I was 12!) as you had to be quick on your feet and defend as well as attack. So who would have thought that pegs were good for your legs!!
We played chasey too. Bianca gave us an advantage by hopping and trying to catch us as we ran, but boy can she hop fast! Our hearts were pumping and we did press ups on the bar, pulls ups on the goal posts and jumping squats until we were out off puff! We then focussed on muscles just in from the hip bone, which tend to go after having kids and no normal form of our daily life and exercise ever uses them. As I was lying on my towel, trying to contract these muscles I was looking up at the huge blue sky and I thought "This is the way to exercise".
Water intake has been better too. It seems easier to drink on days when I exercise. So I should make sure I exercise everyday!!
I am having a fat day today. I feel fat and my tummy feels bloated. I had 5 girlfriends round last night for a meal and enjoyed a thai curry and a several glasses of wine. I struggled this morning as normally after a night like that (we were doing singstar on the playstation until 2.30am!) I would have heaps of toast to make me feel better, but I resisted! Back on track with the meal plan and I have even fought the desire to go and polish off the chocolates one of the girls brought and had some tuna and salad instead.
Hopefully after topping myself up with water and a good nights sleep, I will feel better tomorrow and I will make the effort to exercise so I don't feel so sluggish.
We played chasey too. Bianca gave us an advantage by hopping and trying to catch us as we ran, but boy can she hop fast! Our hearts were pumping and we did press ups on the bar, pulls ups on the goal posts and jumping squats until we were out off puff! We then focussed on muscles just in from the hip bone, which tend to go after having kids and no normal form of our daily life and exercise ever uses them. As I was lying on my towel, trying to contract these muscles I was looking up at the huge blue sky and I thought "This is the way to exercise".
Water intake has been better too. It seems easier to drink on days when I exercise. So I should make sure I exercise everyday!!
I am having a fat day today. I feel fat and my tummy feels bloated. I had 5 girlfriends round last night for a meal and enjoyed a thai curry and a several glasses of wine. I struggled this morning as normally after a night like that (we were doing singstar on the playstation until 2.30am!) I would have heaps of toast to make me feel better, but I resisted! Back on track with the meal plan and I have even fought the desire to go and polish off the chocolates one of the girls brought and had some tuna and salad instead.
Hopefully after topping myself up with water and a good nights sleep, I will feel better tomorrow and I will make the effort to exercise so I don't feel so sluggish.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
