Reach

That's me in the middle of the shot, 9kms in.

Just over a week ago, I ran in a ten kilometre fun run for the first time in my life.

Just over a year ago, I could not run for more than a couple of hundred metres without stopping in pain or being out of breath.

Just over a year ago (fifteen months to be exact), I weighed twenty one kilograms more than I weigh now.

Why am I telling you all this? It's not about "look at me" or to brag about achieving these goals. The thing I want to tell you is that just over a year ago, I genuinely thought that these goals were IMPOSSIBLE for me. I genuinely believed that losing the weight and running for ten kilometres were NEVER dreams I could achieve.

To finish the run was an amazing feeling. The Captain brought the Batsman and the Bowler to be there at the finish line. My mum and dad came too. The sun shone through the cold air. In the process of completing the run, I raised $2400 for the autism early intervention organisation who have done such incredible work with the Batsman. Like I said, amazing feeling.

When I think back to how I felt a year ago and try to identify what it was that was the starting point of working towards these goals, the only word that comes to mind is "reach". I was able to reach forward and try and somehow with a bit of blind, clueless faith, know that I could move forward.

That's all I can come up with. Nothing too profound. Reach, reach, reach.

Are you reaching for any goals right now?

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

My bum (Part II) and the Michelle Bridges 12WBT

I wrote a little while ago about my bum growing keen attitude to exercise. In the last few weeks as my dodgy ankle came to the fore I fell off the wagon a little bit. Three to four gym visits a week had become one to two and combined with overly enthusiastic tasting of the goodies I baked for the kinder fete....well you get where this is going and what it means for my bum.

It is time to take things up a notch and while my ankle won't allow me to do the boot camp I was planning, I have found a substitute which I think may be even better. The Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT) is an online program where everything you need to get off your butt and achieve your goals is provided - eating plans, exercise programs, motivation tapes, forums to get support from others - all of it and run by Michelle Bridges of Biggest Loser kudos.

So I have signed up.

I'm a little bit scared.
I'm a lot excited, particularly about achieving my goals.

I plan to work hard.
I am committed to losing another 7 - 10 kilograms by the end of this year.
I am going to be tough on myself about following the program and the rules.

And I won't be on my own. Loads of other mums have signed up for a 12WBT being run by Michelle via the Huggies website - a mum specific program designed to support mums with all the distractions of kids to achieve their fitness and health goals. There is also at least one other person I know who is going on the ride too. The very gorgeous Sarah from Ah, the possibilities is doing it too. Good luck Sarah, and hey, at least we know we can kick each other's backsides via the blogosphere should it become motivationally necessary!

I am going to blog updates on my progress along the way and would love your support and if necessary, a virtual kick up the butt to keep me going.

Wish me luck! We start on September 26.

This is not my bum (Disclaimer)

Disclaimer: This is not my bum

I’m not quite sure how it has happened.


I have managed to get myself a little bit addicted to exercise.

For at least three times a week over the last few months I have trudged down to the gym to do a gym circuit class while the Batsman does a therapy session and the Bowler cools his happy heels in the leisure centre’s occasional child care. The circuit classes are a mix of cardio and strength work and that has been a happy combination for me that has not only seen me lose over nine kilograms but also achieve gains in strength, flexibility of my weary old bones and muscles and overall fitness. The others in the class are primarily women my age and older so it’s a comfortable place to be and I know that if I turn up, do what the instructor says and work hard that I have done well.

But the biggest gain in all of the exercise for me has been its impact on my mental health. The mornings I exercise are the days I cope the best with the demands of two small children, the running of the house and the Batsman’s hectic therapy schedule. The post exercise endorphins last all day. It is amazing. I am happier, more energetic, less anxious and am beginning to feel so much better about myself, my appearance and buying clothes that are a couple of sizes smaller.

It wasn’t easy at the start. Convincing myself to get to the gym on days when I just wanted to curl up on the couch with tea and chocolate biscuits was hard work but the perseverance has been worth it. Step by step by step. It’s all any of us can do.

And now I have enrolled to do a fitness challenge camp aka boot camp for six weeks. Six weeks of three mornings a week at 6am for 1 hour, most of it outdoors. Utterly terrifying. But I feel like, all things considered, I am ready to take the next step. I want to push my fitness to the next level and drop some more weight. I have about six or seven kilos still to lose to reach my goal weight. Go, me!

What do you do to push yourself to exercise? Have you ever become addicted to something that is good for you?


Postscript: Since I wrote this post, my ankle has decided to take on a distinct level of dodginess (technical term, you understand) and it is looking like I may have to postpone the boot camp for a few months. I am hereby promising, where you can all read it, to continue the fitness work, albeit in a slightly lower impact, less ankle injuring fashion.


Image via We Heart It

A use for your spray cleaner you may not have thought of (inspiration)

I went to a kinder committee meeting this week.
They can be a good source of inspiration, these meetings, lots of tips and tricks for all kinds of domestic bliss/mothering mayhem are spoken about in between the president's report, the supper and the general business.

This week I came home with a gem.

A few of us had a chat about weight loss, as you do. I said that one of the things I have found the hardest about weight loss is the children's food at dinner time, the leftovers going begging, a stray piece of sausage, a slice of bread, easily inhaled standing at the kitchen bench.

"Oh no, I've solved that one" boomed one in the group.
"I wait" she said, "until I am sure that the kids have finished eating. I put their plates up on a high shelf and spray the leftovers liberally with spray cleaner. Then I'm not tempted."

Cue much laughter. But I had to acknowledge that while maybe a little extreme, this method had definite potential.


What lengths do you go to to get those pesky kilos off?

Image via We Heart It

Weekend grateful - a friend

I have missed a couple of weeks of Weekend Grateful.

Life got in the way of being grateful. Oops.

But this week I am back. Being in the presence of gratitude for what we have in our lives is a lovely thing. Thanks Maxabella.

This week I am grateful for my friend T. I am so very fortunate to have her in my life.

She is the voice of reason. The one who, when I am full of angst about something, says “Yeah, except I’m going to be the voice who says.....” and all of this wisdom comes out. She gives, both the wisdom, and the friendship, without expectation or judgement. She has stuck with me but not crowded me. She loves my boys and watches them grow with the pride of the proudest aunty. She writes postcards and letters to the Batsman with pictures of trains and penguins, whatever she knows is his latest craze. The joy on his face as he fetches T’s latest offering from the letterbox is pure gold.

My friendship with T is one of those ones where even if we don’t speak for a while, there is no gap in the communication. We talk about everything and anything. We tolerate each other’s football team choices.

I saw T yesterday. We had coffee and a chat. I told her about my never ending to-do list and how when I get some time to complete some tasks without the boys with me that I am often struck by the paralysis of what to do first. Quick Suz, make the most of the time. Productive. And then came the wisdom.

T said, “how about instead of thinking about what you’re going to do, you think about what you’re going to be?”

A to-be list instead of a to-do list. More gold. Thanks T.

PS: I’m also grateful for this post. You made a huge difference yesterday Bianca. If you haven’t read the post, read it and follow Bianca. She has good stuff to say.

Another PS: I’m grateful to have lost 4.9kg and crashed through a weight barrier I haven’t been under for way too long. This woman is my inspiration. Thanks Lucy. You should read her blog too. In a “to-be” kind of way of course.

Image via weheartit