Cleaning up in more ways than one!

I can't believe I haven't written for 3 weeks. We moved house and lost the internet for a few days and then I have been trying to be active rather than sit in front of the laptop and the time has just flown by. We now have visitors from the UK so I have popped my 'Tour Guide' hat back on and done Aussie Zoo, Mooloolaba spit, Hinterland Range etc only to have another visitor arrive next Wednesday and have to do it all again. We then have visitors virtually all the way through until after Christmas bar a few days to get the bedding changed and catch up with housework and friends. Then more again mid January, March and for Easter holidays in April.

Getting the house move done was physically exhausting but I saw the positives in it and worked.
lifting boxes - squatting and lifting
carrying - using my biceps
unpacking and putting away - doing squats as I unpacked and crouched down to put stuff in the kitchen cupboards.
Back at the old place n the Monday, I met with the cleaning company to do some cleaning myself and keep the cost down. Again I saw it as good exercise as I wiped windows, walls, mirrors, tiles, stretching up and down into the baths and deep into kitchen cupboards. Must have looked good as the cleaners asked me if I wanted a job! Was really pleased to get my full bond back but it did mean I missed the sessions with Bianca on Friday and Monday when we moved and cleaned. Boy did I feel it on the following Wednesday as it is hard to do a session when you have missed two.

When people miss a couple of sessions of any physical activity it can be a simple decision not to go back, but that is the worst thing to do. You should find the strength to go to a session again, get back into that routine, otherwise you may find you are on that slippery slope back down to inactivity and weight gain.

I had my measurements done last week and I lost a few cm's. Not nearly as many as the first time, but combined (as I lost heaps the first 4 weeks) I am on track. Although the cm's loss was smaller, I feel so much fitter, can run further and can do more in a day than I could do. I am also getting up in the mornings earlier and going to bed and sleeping well. All my sports pants are loose now. I had to hold a pair up a week ago as I was running as they were falling down! Quite difficult doing squat jumps too, especially as I was holding them up wearing boxing gloves!! I also have stopped weighing myself on a daily basis, but am pleased to have lost a stone and a half, (21lbs / around 9.5 kilos) which means I have achieved over a third of the way of my overall goal (to lose 25kg) by week 8. Roll on Christmas as I am going to be gorgeous!!

We have the Beep Test today, so this is a good measure of how my fitness levels have improved since last time. 4 weeks ago, I managed a 3.2 in the Beep Test, which was probably a bit low, but I didn't understand the instructions, so stopped when I made a mistake, when I should have kept going and only gone out after two mistakes in a row.

Wish me luck!!

It's not just about having a good Butt!

I have two weeks to catch up on as I am moving house tomorrow, so have been really busy packing. We have sorted all the kids rooms out and I have packed away all of our books and belongings, stuffed the ironing pile into a bag and of course left the kitchen until last (so that was today!).

I am really pleased I have been able to channel my energy into moving, without it getting down and resorting to hiding in the pantry and munching on tim tams. I now see bending down and packing boxes, squatting and lifting and carrying boxes downstairs, as exercisee! I have to miss tomorrows session with Bianca because of the move, but I am sure with loading and unloading trailers, I will work up a bit of a sweat!

Although I have been more focussed I can't say it has all been a bed of roses, as with any house move there are the endless calls to change utilities (and the expense that goes with it), but this will be our 4th house in 10 months and I just can't wait to be settled for a while. People keep saying to me that I must be a 'dab hand' at moving now, which I probably am, but it doesn't get easier, the strain of it all is still there but I feel more positive this time as we have a great group of friends helping which is just fantastic.

I do however feel so much better and I know it's purely down to the sessions with Bianca and Sascha. The eating plan I have followed has resulted in me having more energy and feeling so much better about myself. In the last week, I have had a training session on my own with Sascha, a training session with three of us another with 6 ladies and a session with me and another lady on Wednesday. No matter how many people are there, it is always positive and inspiring, fun, oh and of course exhausting!!

Now down to compliments. I owe a huge THANK YOU to Bianca. Not only for the training, but she complimented me about having lost my 'tummy'. Me being me, said I still had had a fat and wobbly day the day before, instead of saying Thank You and accepting the compliment.

Why is it that women generally can't take compliments? I have lived my life being unable to accept compliments but when someone pointed it out, I learnt to say thank you if someone commented on my hair, my clothes, or heaven forbid, my figure. I got good at it for a while and made a concious effort to give compliments as well. Obviously that training has completely slipped out of my mind and I realised after yesterday I need to change the way I think and act when receiving compliments.

So thank you again Bianca, for putting me on your 12 week programme. Thank you for supporting me and noticing that I have changed shape over the last 6 weeks. Thank you for telling me when I am doing well and taking the time to compliment me. And talking of compliments, I think Bianca has a fab butt, which lots of people comment on, but you shouldn't judge her just on her butt, her determination and drive is addictive. She is stunning, lovely, has wonderful family support and is extremely modest. She is driven by seeing people like me, turn from being a sad and overweight mum, struggling with no energy, into a slim, sexy, yummy mummy and gorgeous wife, who has regained confidence lost a long the way. So THANK YOU!

My challenge for this week is to give, and receive compliments. I will update you next week when I am back on line (good old bigpond and their 4 working days connection thing.... )

A new start awaits for a new me, in my new house.