Time To Be Challenged!

So - remember my conceptual goal for 2013? To focus on being better, but knowing I won't be perfect? Well, part of that for me was definitely a want to be a better mum and a better wife. Its not that I felt I'm 'bad' at either of those things but rather that I felt I could do more if I felt better physically. I've been quite tired the last few months - and yes, I know I have a 5.5 month old baby who still wakes for a night feed, but its more than that. Its a lethargy that I just can't seem to shake, that hits me around lunchtime and I just feel blah. I thought I might be iron deficient but after blood tests it turns out I'm not. So... I thought on it, and decided a small change in diet and an exercise shake up were in order. And, not two days later, an awesome opportunity fell in my lap...

Two opportunities actually. Firstly, one of the beautiful mums from my Facebook mothers group is a personal trainer, running fitness groups and boot camps in Melbourne. She posted a message on our board saying she was wanting to trial offering an online personal training program, similar in scope to the Michelle Bridges 12WBT , and was hoping some of us other mummies would be her guinea pigs. Cue me raising my hand and jumping on board! So tomorrow I officially start my 12 week program ( which I can't link to because its a closed Facebook group ) and though I am cacking my dacks I'm also a bit excited!

Then, the same week, Bettina over at Little Old Souls had decided she was going to set herself a yoga challenge, based on a book she had been reading, and wondered if anyone would like to join her? Cue my second hand raise! I loved my yoga before my children were born ( so much so I had started saving money so I could pay to train as a yoga instructor ) but my practice fell by the wayside as I headed into the 3rd trimester with Flynn, and I'd never picked it back up. I thought not only would this yoga challenge be a great way to ease myself back into yoga, but it would also be a great compliment to the 12 week fitness challenge aswell. My aim is to do a 20 minute routine 5 days a week, and to build on that as I get better ( or if I have the time up my sleeve ).

So - have I bitten off more than I can chew? Am I being too ambitious? Only the next 12 weeks will tell but I think as long as I focus on doing the best I can and not on being 'perfect' at it, I think I'll do OK!

I Think I Can.... ?

Guess what's coming on Monday?

Operation Slimdown - Or Is It?

So - guess what today is? If you guessed Operation Slimdown update day then you'd be right! Yes, today is my fortnightly update on my weight loss adventure ( if you can call it that) and, after last Tuesdays post, i wasn feeling too optimistic about weighing in and measuring myself up. Comfort eating, Pepsi-drinking and general sad-sacking do not usually make for a good loss. Lets see....


Bust: 91.5cm - down 3cm
Waist: 77.5cm - up 0.5cm
Hips: 100.5cm - up 1.5cm
Bum: 103cm - down 1.5cm
Thigh: 64cm - down 1.5cm
Weight:72.7kg - down 600g
So there you be - not a gain as i was expecting, but not quite the loss i'm aiming for. As i said, i would really love to lose AT LEAST a kilo a fortnight ( unfortunately last weekend was a bit of a lost cause ) but if i'm a few 100g here or there on a normal week well... I'm not going to beat myself up about it. If its the difference between one scoop of ice cream or two then hell....i'm treating myself to the icecream. Everything in moderation and seeing as i'm still on the " 2 cups of vegies and 2L of water a day " path ( mostly...sometimes its 1.75L.... ) i think i deserve two scoops of icecream every few days. And you know what? I had the willpower to shun icecream, and chocolate, and even birthday cake for 2 weeks when i kickstarted this thing off, and i know i could do it again. I also know i dont really HAVE to deprive myself either, so i dont. I think thats kind of a healthy attitude...

What is also healthy is that i've started throwing exercise back in the mix too this week. I'm starting myself off slowly - i'm not quite back to gum junkie status yet. I plan on doing half an hour of yoga 5 days a week, going for a 20 min walk during my lunch break from work 3 days a week, and then going for an extra 45 min walk 3 days a week aswell. Its definately not as hard as i used to train, and i'd love to get back into the running and the weight training at some point, but for now what i have planned should help shift the last 4.7kg til i hit my goal weight. And whats even better is that now my already gorgeous fiance Mick has gotten on the fitness kick too - he's been going for a 45 min - 1hr walk/jog 5 days a week - and we're really supporting and encouraging each other. I feel really motivated to keep up with him and get gorgeous and healthy together!

Progress, episode #1

So, guess what i did today ? I ran on the treadmill at the gym. RAN. Yes, me - i ran. The last time i've ran anywhere for anything was so i didnt miss the last train back to New Jersey after a John Butler Trio concert in New York City. In heels mind you, but i digress.

I have steadily been improving my fitness over the past 8 weeks or so to the point where i was getting kind of bored with a fast walk on the treadmill. Admittedly, i like the bike and the rower more ( i'm even getting callouses on my hands from the handles on the rowing machine... yay! ) but i thought maybe i could liven up the treadmill section of the workout. Why not jog a bit?

Bare in mind that i had the " why not jog a bit ? " thought about two weeks ago, but couldnt bring myself to do it until today. After having had the initial thought the rest of my self-conversation went like this :
Me#1: " You cant jog - you arent fit enough for that. What if you keel over and die, wearing tracksuits pants and a Cookie Monster t-shirt ? "
Me #2: " I dont think i'll keel over, but maybe i'm not fit enough yet".
Me #1: " Of course you arent fit enough yet. Plus, you'll look ridiculous running. Everyone else at the gym is giong to look at you and all you're wobbly bits jiggling around as you jog. "
Me#2 : " I dont have wobbly bits! Do I ? "
Me#1 : " I hate to tell you sister but... mm hmm. For the love of God, dont do it! "

So that was two weeks ago. I listened to Me #1 then but today, well, Me #2 said " Screw it! There arent many other people here anyway so just push yourself a bit and see what you can do! ". So i sucked it up, and thats what i did. I only did it in intervals - one minute jogging with two minutes walking in between - and only for 10 minutes, but the point is i did it. And, even better, i'll do it again.

Congratulations me! As one of my teenaged friends would say - i took a cup of cement and hardened the fuck up!