12WBT Round 1 - Warm Up; Round 2 - Crunch Time!!!

This is so exciting. I never want 12WBT (i.e. 12 Week Body Transformation) to end - and for me it won't.  This is my life now ... and I'm just getting warmed up!!

I've trudged through the flabby mud of pain and despair with the Biggest Losers (BL) on TV over the past 11 weeks. I've shot off the back of my treadmill with their highs and lows. I've balled my eyes out as Margie (BL contestant) swung off the canyon, for me, in Switzerland. I cried and cried for her fears, her strength, her determination, her success and for myself... For all I've lost, for all my heartache, for all my regrets, and now for my own successes. I truly am a mad woman running and crying on my treadmill (watching BL). Thank God my kids love and support me, as well as laugh heartily at me, um... with me. 

(Biggest Loser Australia Series 7 Week 14 Switzerland Canyon Jump)

I've gained in strength and lost in weight. I have a ways to go and now I must journey on and on and on, as I really get it. I use to diet with a the mindset of ...when I'm slim I can eat this pie again, ... if I lose 5kg I can enjoy all those foods I'm denying myself. That is so funny now.

I love the food I am eating now and, even more exciting, my family does too. I look forward to and savour treat night; without the tasteless insatiable glutinous gorging that I lived before. The sheer joy of sipping a glass of wine and being satisfied with just one, or biting into a fresh baguette with pesto and truly tasting it, positively enjoying the experience with all it's delicious sensations. And most importantly knowing what I am doing, knowing it is a well earned treat meal, not a treat day or week or month or …

Warm up is just about finished; soon it will be time to smash out a great round 2 - for growing longer legs for bigger strides.

A Challenge for Myself

Well I did it. Last night I did 600cals in one session. Had I been pulling the wool over my own eyes for all of round 1, thinking that was "toooo hard" and "I CAN"T!!"?  [We've heard that nearly daily on the Biggest Losers at the beginning of the series] ... or because of round 1 was I able to imagine digging a little bit deeper and raising the bar? Do you know what, I think I have been holding back on myself. Haha it wasn't that awful. It did take me 1 1/2 hours of treadmill walking/sprints and wild dancing with my new iPod strap on my arm with high energy music pulsing through my head and rhythm flowing through my body.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is, what was impossible in week 1, somewhere along the line becomes so possible, so do-able that it was a no-brainer but I missed that point of when it was possible by continuing to think it was impossible. Wow I will have to keep my mind open for my next increase in level of fitness as it approaches in round 2. I have set a goal to climb Table Top Mountain in Toowoomba - always been too scared of the effort and pain but not now. Was to do it today with my sister Lauren but it got rained out. It has been rescheduled not cancelled. Will update with photos. P.S. I am talking about beginner stuff, as some people would scoff at Table Top Mountain, Lauren has done it plenty of times, but it is my Mount Kosciuszko.  Cheers

Opps! Sorry Leinie, I stuffed up :{

Well the temptation of Easter and Easter holidays was interesting. What one week of little exercising, dinners out and coffee shops will do. My old nemesis, my undo-er of all past good efforts. Oh my, I love holidays too much.

Okay, confession time - I gained 1.1kg over that period. Boohoo :( 

And that is all I have to say about that  ;)

Stay tuned for the big turn around 'cause as we know an aeroplane does not fly in a straight line to get to its destination, it meanders slightly off course and corrects, then meanders slightly off course again. The main thing is that it continues to self correct. Also on this theosophical note, meandering off course is a great time of learning, ... again   (said with Forrest Gump's disheartened intonation).

What I have to do now is reflect on the changes that my journey so far has made to my life and refocus on them:

1. I have gone from a tight size 18 to a real size 16, not an almost, too tight 16!!! And my dear sister Lauren who is one step ahead of me, on her health trip, has given me an entire arm full of wonderful shirts and trousers. I have been wearing not-so-dressy T-shirts for so many years now that all my work colleagues have commented on how good I look.

2. When I wake up in the morning I no longer shuffle stiffly along from the bedroom to the bathroom like an old lady, I kid you not, I was shuffling - but now - no more.

3. This is my favourite: Arriving to work there is a long and steep set of stairs to get into the back of the building. I use to walk up them puffing and panting, bent over and pushing my hands on my thighs to climb up them. After resting at the top, I would continued puffing all the way through the building right into my office. That puffing was a right give away if I was trying to sneak into work late. Ha ha. NOW, I love it as I mount those stairs in my new upright and spry manner.  I spring into those steps on the balls of my feet with a huge grin on my face. I'm up at the top before I know it, and without a break in my step I stride into work.

4. Ha ha - this one is yukky and awkward to talk about, but important for all those that experience this............ I now can cut and paint my toe nails with ease. (Eek ... that was embarrassing to write).

5. I know I'm happier, I sing more (well that one was easy as I haven't sung for years) and I'm always dancing around my kitchen, laughing and waving my arms in free abandonment, with or without music -  and yes scaring my kids and dogs. Hee hee!!!!

Anyway - back on the horse or bike or treadmill, or whatever - Lookout happy me!!!!!