12WBT Week 7 - the one where I forgot to post completely

There are not enough hours in the day are there?
Many a blogging hour is spent in the gym these days so I forgot to post this week. Whoopsy.

Suffice to say, I love it.
I am loving this change of lifestyle.
I love it that people are giving me compliments on my weight loss.
I love it that I can go to a ball this Friday night and wear a dress that only a few months ago was a dream.
I love it that I am lighter on my feet.
Love. Love. Love.

Weight loss November 2 - November 13 - 1.9kgs
Weight loss since April 2011 - 15.9kgs

Oh and I love the Eiffel Tower too, that's why that picture is there.


Image via We Heart It

12WBT Week 6 - the quick one

www.weheartit.com

I am running so far behind with blog posts these days so this one shall be short and sweet.

Weight loss from October 26th to November 2nd = 1.6kg
Weight loss from April 14, 2011 - 14kg

Woot. Woot.

12WBT Week 5 - the one where I get my run on

I'm excited this week. I have started to run. I have been able to run further and for longer than I ever have before. It's hurt a little bit along the way but largely it feels amazing to be moving like this. I have entered a fun run in December - my first ever. It's a 5km run along the water in Melbourne and I am excited and nervous about doing it. This week's training, in particular the Friday session where I completed the 5km on the treadmill has shown me that I can do it. I am beginning to see that running is a lot about the mind toughness and knowing in your heart you CAN do it. Sure you have to look after your body and at 42 years of age I am going to be prone to those niggly little injuries that come with "maturity" but I am starting to see what is possible by reducing my weight and increasing my fitness.

This week has also brought a much needed family holiday here. We are staying on a lovely farm on the most gorgeous country road. It sounds cliched but peace and serenity abound. I found the gym in Bright and I have been once but with scenery like we have here, it was time to take the training regime outside. There is nothing like making it up a huge hill and being rewarded with a view that stretches for miles of lush green farm land, cows grazing and kookaburras laughing at you. I haven't weighed in this week. There was just no room in the car for a set of scales. So I don't know whether I have lost weight. What I know is that I have stayed within my calorie limits, I have exercised and been active around the farm with the boys and I feel more relaxed than I have in a long time. And that can only be a great thing.

The week's workouts:

Thursday 20th - Gym (strength session)
Friday 21st - Gym (cardio session - 5km run/walk completed in 41 minutes)
Saturday 22nd - Gym (strength, cardio and core) = 800 calories burned
Sunday 23rd - Rest day and travelling to our holiday destination
Monday 24th - Gym (fitness session) - more running and feeling good
Tuesday 25th - Outdoor run - 3km and hill sprints (ouch)
Wednesday 26th- Walk - 4km (including hills)

Weight loss from October 19th to October 26th - ?
Weight loss from April 14, 2011 - 12.4kg

12WBT Week 4 - The one where the bullets hit the bin

I sabotaged myself this week. At least a little.

I still trained 6 days out of 7. I am beginning to run for longer stretches without stopping. I still ate well. I measured and I have lost 11cm off my hips and 7cm off my waist since 12WBT started. I still lost weight.

What undoubtedly kicked in this week was some complacency. I have, over many years, been very good at "mindless" eating. You know what I am talking about. Mindless eating is where I put food in my mouth without thinking, without measuring, without working out if I am really hungry or just bored/emotional/sugar addicted or whatever. The more I have thought about this the more I can see that it is almost like a reflex, it's automatic and this week, I told myself that I was doing so well and I let it creep in again. A piece of the kid's toast here, a swipe or two of the dip the kids are eating, a handful of chocolate bullets there. I have often used that kind of eating to "treat" myself to help me get through the crazy days we often have over here at "autism central". Does it make me happy? No. Does it help me stick to the program? No. Does it help me achieve the results I ultimately want? No.

So here I am, outing myself and my sneaky eating and declaring that it will stop.

And here are the chocolate bullets hitting the bin.

Oh and in the interests of my record keeping, here is what I did this week.

Thursday 13th - Gym (fitness session)
Friday 14th - Gym (aerobic circuit workout class. Trust me it hurt. Lots of running.)
Saturday 15th - Gym (strength, cardio and core) = 800 calories burned
Sunday 16th - Walked around Albert Park Lake for SIDS and Kids
Monday 17th - Gym (fitness session) at 6am and circuit class at 9am = 900 calories burned
Tuesday 18th - Gym (strength session)
Wednesday 19th- Gym circuit class and run (500 calories burned) and an evening pilates class.

Weight loss from October 12th to October 19th - 0.8kg
Weight loss from April 14, 2011 - 12.4kg


Go well this week one and all.

12WBT Week 3 - Keep calm and Zumba

I have loved the 12WBT program this week. Something shifted in my brain and I am finding that as each day passes I am becoming more addicted to exercise and being active than I previously thought possible. I even gave Zumba a crack, you know, just to see what it was like. It was fun but I found that even in doing all of the moves at a pretty intense pace I couldn't get my heart rate above 130 and subsequently I got nowhere near the bang for my buck that I had expected of Zumba. I think for now I am going to stick with my tried and tested gym workouts and circuit classes. My body shape is changing noticeably now which feels amazing. Oh yes, I really am starting to sound like one of those exercise junkies!


The other big thing I have decided this week is that I am going to enter my first fun run in December. I'm terrified about this but determined in equal measure so I reckon that might get me through it. That and a little bit of training.

And for my records, this is what I did this week:

Thursday 6th - Gym (strength session) & Zumba class
Friday 7th - Gym (fitness session)
Saturday 8th - Gym circuit class (strength, cardio and core) plus huge walk = 1000 calories burned
Sunday 9th - Rest day (had a massage which was much needed)
Monday 10th - Gym (fitness session) at 6am and circuit class at 9am = 900 calories burned
Tuesday 11th - Gym (strength)
Wednesday 12th- Gym circuit class and an evening pilates class.

Diet: I have begun using a calorie counting app and that has helped me so much with keeping track of what goes in my mouth. Every time I think of something I would like to eat, I look up the calories and think it through. No cheating!

Weight loss from October 5th to October 12th - 0.9kg
Weight loss from April 14, 2011 - 11.6kg


PS: When I can stay awake past 8pm I promise I will write a post about something else.

Image from We Heart It

12WBT Week 1

The 12WBT program began only two days ago but already I can say that I love it.
I love the additional motivation that comes from being "part of something".
I love the advice on diet and exercise.
I love knowing I am accountable to the program. Having to track my weight loss and never wanting to be the "bad girl" is highly motivating for me.

The biggest breakthrough for me has been the power that comes from treating my exercise like an appointment and scheduling a week's exercise in advance. That is making the biggest difference for me in not allowing me to talk myself out of it when the going is tough and busy here at home.

So here is what my week looked like:
Tuesday 20th - Gym cross trainer & stair runs (cardio)
Wednesday 21st - Gym circuit class (strength) and pilates (core)
Thursday 22nd - Rest day
Friday 23rd - Gym cross trainer & treadmill (cardio); power walk (on the way to the footy!)
Saturday 24th - Gym circuit class (strength)
Sunday 25th - Gym (12WBT fitness test)
Monday 26th - Gym cross trainer and treadmill (cardio)
Tuesday 27th - Gym cross trainer and treadmill (cardio and fitness)
Wednesday 28th - Gym 12WBT strength workout
Diet - My nutrition has been good, lots of fresh salads and protein. The sugar cravings are a little overwhelming and I have succumbed a few times. I have tried to make up for this by burning more calories in my workouts but I have to come up with a way to control my sugar habit! I am pretty sure sugar is going to be a common theme for me through this program.

Weight loss from September 19th - September 28th - 1.2 kilograms

Weight loss from April 14th, 2011 (beginning of weight loss road) to today - 10.7 kilograms.

Go me!

Image from We Heart It