Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Two steps forward, one step back

I have had a few slip ups this week in regards to food... Paul has been away so I have rewarded myself with chocolate for doing it all myself - I know, I know... I need to stop! I don't really know what it is in my head that makes me want the food - the voice that tells me to stop and think is getting stronger but my willpower is still not as strong as it needs to be obviously. 

Just keep trying! Just keep trying! Just keep trying! 

I have had a pretty good week exercise-wise. 

Cardio on Friday, Saturday and Sunday...

Friday:: Easy walk / jog with Paul ~~ cuddles out the front with Sam & Connor to finish up
Saturday gym session:: treadmill - 25mins, 2.6km | rowing machine - 12mins, 2000m | bike - 10mins, 3.13km
Sunday walk:: decided to head up the hills behind my house for a look. Nice view of the city and no pram to push!
I've emailed the gym about organising some PT sessions so I can start using the machines and building some strength instead of doing cardio all the time.

I also took some more progress pictures to compare to the ones I took during week 1 of pre-season. I can't see a huge difference, but I have definitely lost some size. It does give me motivation to work harder in the next fortnight so I can see a bigger difference the next time around. 

Onwards and upwards baby!

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Finshing the week with a BANG!

I didn't get the chance to come back and update my last blog entry with my results of the fitness test, so here they are again...

So...

1km: 7.32 minutes
Pushups in 1min: 25 (on knees)
Wall sit: 1.30min
Sit ups: 1 (gah - must keep practicing!)
Sit & Reach: -10 (reached to the end of the ruler!)

The latest challenge was to 'Say It Outloud' and to make a commitment to complete the 12WBT. 

I have already announced it on Facebook that I'm completing the challenge and have told pretty much anyone who will listen that I've signed up so I'm pretty well covered on that one! 

On the 12WBT website, I created a post in the forums so I could put it there a bit more. Here's a picture of my post...



I have gone back to edit it and changed it to: is to be the best wife and mother I can. It's not about changing for anyone else, but I have to be selfish in order to change which will benefit my family.


I spoke with my parents who bought me an early birthday present - a pretty pink Polar HRM! I am a little bit in love with it! We went for a walk / run yesterday. It's so light and easy to use... I would recommend it to anyone!


I was supposed to hit the gym for a boxing class last night, but C has been diagnosed with asthma and was far too fragile for me to leave the house. I am looking forward to the day I can leave him at night, I have to say! 



I have tried a few more 12WBT recipes this week too. I made the not-so-naughty nachos on Tuesday night (just added extra lean mince and some taco seasoning) and everyone inhaled it!!! Even C was munching on the mountain bread chips! We made the spinach and feta parcels on Wednesday night (added 1 chicken breast, cooked & shredded) and served them with oven roasted chips... they were a big hit too! Although I completely forgot you have to take the pastry out of the freezer the day before, so it all broke when I opened it! Such a dick!! I ended up doing little sausage roll types parcels... just as delicious!!

Paul and I are going on another walk / run this afternoon and hopefully another tomorrow morning. I will go to the gym tomorrow afternoon as Sunday is looking like a tough day to get there. Fingers crossed I can squeeze in a few workouts this weekend before Weigh-In Wednesday!

Happy weekending xo

Monday, July 22, 2013

Catch up

I feel like I am behind here already! It is so much easier for me to blog when I'm at work rather then trying to find time to work on the computer at home over the weekends - too much fun to be had there! 

Ok... where am I up to?

Setting my goals... Last Thursdays pre-season challenge was to set goals for my self. 1 month, 3 month, 6 month and 12 month goals that I can work towards.

Firstly, my overall weightloss goal is 10kg, which will take me to 58kgs (2kgs less then my pre-baby weight). 

1 month goals:
  • to fit comfortable into my size 12 dress for the wedding on the 31/8/13
  • to run / walk 1km in less then 8 mins. I did it on the 17/7 in 9.07 mins. (I DID IT!!!!!!!! I went to the gym on Sunday afternoon and ran it TWICE!!! First time was 7.44, second time was 7.32!!!!!!!!!!)

3 month goals:
  • plank for 30 seconds without stopping
  • do 20 situps without hooking feet
  • lose 10 kgs
 6 month goals:
  • Buy Lorna Jane pants in SMALL
  • 20 push ups on my toes
  • Complete True Grit 
12 month goals:
  • strengthen my core so I can do some crazy yoga moves
  • I want muscle definition in my arms and stomach
 Here is an example of the crazy yoga moves I want to be able to do! I know I have a lot of core strengthening to do to complete these moves comfortably, but I will do it!

^^^ this woman? Total inspiration to me even though I've never met her. Her name is Annie Reid. Her blog can be found here and her IG name is areid1982. Amazing doesn't cut it!
So, I hit the gym this morning, just for some quick cardio (15 minutes on the TM and lots of stretching) as I just wasn't feeling it and I had to get back to the office. I thought I would start recording my stats for my Fitness Test... as I said previously, this isn't the official Fitness Test Michelle sets in a couple of weeks. I am doing this purely to try and beat my scored in 3 weeks. 

So...

1km: 7.32 minutes
Pushups in 1min: 25 (on knees)
Wall sit: 1.30min
Sit ups: (will update later)
Sit & Reach: (will update later)

I'm not too disappointed with those times / scores. I am happy I found out what I have to do so I have a benchmark to beat! 

Happy Tuesday xo

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Thoughts on food

So I had a bit of breakthrough last night. I was feeding C to sleep thinking about my excuses etc regarding exercise and I realised I hadn't actually thought about any to do with food. 

I've never really thought much about my relationship with food... I haven't acknowledged the way I think about it, why I eat the way I do. 

I was browsing the 12wbt forums yesterday and came across this motivational picture...


Boom. Breakthrough. 

That's exactly what I do. Well, what I USED to do. 

C had a good night sleep? Have a chocolate.
Going for a walk after work? Have a chocolate.
Haven't had chocolate for 3 days? Have 2 chocolates. 

Even last night. Mum & Dad were staying with us, we had the girls. Big cook up of spag bol & garlic bread. Followed by cheesecake and ice-cream for S's birthday. My thoughts? 'Oh well, mum and dad are here, it's ok to eat 3 pieces of garlic bread. And I have to have dessert... it's for S's birthday'

That's bullshit. Nobody would care if I said NO to the garlic bread. Nobody would care if my piece of cheesecake is smaller then theres. Nobody would care if I only had one scoop of ice-cream. 

I need to STOP worrying about what everyone thinks. Mum is here for a few more days and we are off to the Pink concert tomorrow night so I'm not holding out great hopes for a healthy dinner at the entertainment centre, but I don't have to have the hot chips... I don't have to have the greasy burger... I can make good choices. 

Pre-Season challenge 2 is out... time to set some goals and list HOW I can achieve them in 1 month / 3 months / 6 months / 12 months / overall weightloss goal. 

I've started jotting down some ideas, but will take my time and get them right. I'll come back later today or tomorrow and list them here.

Nic xo

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

A loss already!

I jumped on the scale at the gym yesterday and I have already lost .5kg!! I know, I know... it's not much. But still - a loss is a loss is a loss!!! 

I have managed to get my hands on a copy of the Fitness Test so I am going to give it a go on the weekend in preparation for when it's released on the 5th of August. You have to retest every 4 weeks throughout the challenge, so I'm excited to see my progress - even though I don't have to do it now I want to see if I can improve while still in the pre-season.

I also did my measurements on Monday...

Right arm: 29cm
Left arm: 28cm
Bust: 96.5cm
Waist: 79.5cm
Hips: 106.5cm
Right thigh: 59.5cm
Left thigh: 60.5cm

Again, I know I don't have to record these yet. But I really want to see what I can do in the next four weeks in preparation for the challenge. I also really want to hit the pre-season as hard as possible because I'm on holiday in Canberra for the first week of the challenge and I know it's not going to be a good week.

I am excited to test myself and see how far I can go and what improvements I can make in the next four weeks. 

Monday, July 15, 2013

Get Real

The first challenge as part of the pre-season is to GET REAL... acknowledge your excuses and come up with solutions for each of them. 

Michelle has listed 3 types of excuses - Internal, External (within your control) and External (outside your control). The first thing I had to do was to list all of the excuses I have made in the past to get out of exercising and to come up with a rebuttal. 

It was actually quiet confronting... I was already rolling my eyes at myself for the lame-arse excuses I have been using over the past 12 months! So, here they are... my excuses listed below and the solutions I have come up with in red beside them...

Internal Excuses
- I'm not motivated :: JFDI! Make it part of every day. Stop thinking - start doing!
- I'm too tired :: JFDI! Be tired for a reason. C is sleeping better and I feel so much better afterwards!
- I feel silly exercising and I worry what I look like when I exercise :: who cares and who cares?! At least I am doing something. Stop worrying what others think!
- I'm not really *that* overweight :: if you are sitting at your desk, with your jeans unbuttoned while you shovel chocolate in your mouth, it's time to move that arse!

External Excuses - within my control
- I'm too busy :: week one and I have been to the gym 5 times! 2 classes and 3 cardio sessions!! Hello?! Too busy for what?
- C has been out all day :: exercise at home... put YouTube on. Run around outside with him. Be a good example to HIM!
- It's too cold :: put a jumper on and JFDI!
- It's too hot :: wear a tshirt and JFDI!

External Excuses - outside my control
- C is sick and I have no one to look after him :: Exercise at home! Stop complaining and JFDI!

Saying it all outloud makes me feel SO much better already. 

My new favourite saying? JFDI... I love it!

An introduction & day 1 of pre-season

Ok... here I am. My name is Nicole, I'm 30 and I need to lose weight, get fit and rediscover who I am.

I live in gorgeous sunny Brisbane with my wonderful husband on nearly 6 years, his 2 teenage daughters and our 16 month old little boy.

I become a step-mother at 21 when I started dating P and have found it increasingly difficult balancing EVERYBODY. I didn't put myself first anymore... I put P's ex before myself for god's sake! I love my family more then anything and refuse to use them as an excuse... life is busy, shit happens.

We tried for 2 years to fall pregnant with C before trying IVF. I hated every minute of it, but it was successful. It was a horrible time and I never once felt comfortable being pregnant... needless to say, we lost the baby at 6w. I was devastated. It was the hardest thing I have ever been through. Finding out I was pregnant with C was bizarre... it was 6 weeks after my miscarriage, my period hadn't returned, I had no symptoms at all. P basically had to push me out of the frontdoor, begging me to buy a pregnancy test. It was positive straight away and I was beyond excited. We found out at 20w that the baby was a boy - I was so happy. After 2 girls, I really wanted to give P something he had never experienced.

C was born healthy after a difficult labour and emergency C-section. I had put on 20kgs during pregnancy and weighed 80kgs the day after I had him.

Breastfeeding was extremely difficult for me, but I stuck with it and after 2 weeks, C's wind issues were causing huge problems at home. The poor kid couldn't sleep and was in terrible pain. I had to cut out so much food from my diet (incl all diary, tomatoes, garlic, chilli, onion, beans, carrots, white bread, chocolate) and within 24 hours, C was like a different kid... happy and content. I adapted to my new diet and the weight fell off me. I was down to 63kgs by the time C was 12 weeks old.

And then, I decided to start weaning myself back onto the diary... starting with? Chocolate of course. And on and on it went.

By the time C was 12 months old, I was back to 73kgs. I was mortified. I hated seeing photos of myself, but I still couldn't STOP myself from eating the shit. I had joined the gym and was paying $$ each week but I wasn't going... coming up with excuse after excuse.

I still don't know what it was that made me stop and think and realise that the gig was up. I bought jeans just before Christmas, I washed them when I got home and couldn't do them up... so they sat in my cupboard for almost 6 months before I decided to do anything about it. I can do them up now, but there's way too many bulges for my liking. 

I have a wedding to attend at the end of August so am working my arse off in the pre-season so I can fit into my lovely size 12 dress. I really, really don't want to buy a size 14 dress just for one night. 

And so... my before. I am currently 68kgs and my goal is to weigh 58kg by the end of the 12 week challenge. That is 2kgs less then I weighed when I fell pregnant. 

Photos... blergh. 


A friend posted some photos to Instagram saying how much she was enjoying being 30. I am not. I feel frumpy and uncomfortable. I don't want to have to wear jeans instead of shorts. I don't want to wear scarves all the time to hide my belly. 

My birthday is in September. I will enjoy 31. I will be happy with myself. I will do it. 

Edited to add: I made the 12wbt Chicken and Broccolini laksa last night... holy delicious!!!! I had less chicken then the recipe said, but added 3 prawns, green beans and capsicum and a few udon noodles. YUM YUM YUM.