#12WBT Round 3 - Let's begin!

I just finished the #12WBT Round 2.

I found that once I got my confidence up, after 32 days of blogging - that it became harder to blog.

Maybe my stabiliser/training wheels came off my bike.

I could not believe how much more confident and less scared I became to go to the gym!

Now - everyone there knows me, at least all the personal trainers.

My biggest compliment was the manager of the gym said, 'You are an inspiration.  You managed to do your 12WBT workout no matter what challenges you were facing.'

That to me made it awe-inspiring.

I am committed to keep training and losing the weight, which is why I joined Round 3.

I am still completely amazed at what I can accomplish and although I still have 15 kilos to lose, I'm very comfortable with the gym equipment and my ability to be able to focus.

That's not to say that it's not hard or not a challenge - it is!

But what is remarkable to me, never being much of a gym person (not at all!!), that by doing the 12WBT, I have seen a surprising mental transformation in myself when it comes to exercise and fitting it into my new life.

As I start Round 3, I have to thank Michelle Bridges and her fantastic team at 12WBT for changing my perspective.

Awesome guys!

Hope to make the finale this time.  Relieved it's Sydney, where it's easier to get to!

Hugs.

Day 32 #12WBT - Overtraining saps the life out of you!

I did something dumb last week.

I worked 12 hours and didn't feel like doing the gym, so I did two sessions on Friday instead.

OMG I was SO drained.  My body just could not muster up an ounce of energy to attack the Super Saturday session.  I just could not set foot into the gym, so I took 2 days off and started again on Monday.

I tell you one thing, I really had to force myself to go.  And I forced myself back on Tuesday as well.  By today, Wednesday, I went happily and finally felt good about my work out again.

I took some time to read through the forums and some of the 12WBT messages and discovered that I had a few of the symptoms of overtraining.  So now I know not to do that.  Lesson learnt.

The good news is that I thought my two days off would not reflect favourably on the weigh in today.  I was surprised to see I had lost 900g since last week - finally - a bigger shift downwards!

I did stay on the nutrition, but I guess this whole process is a learning curve.

Yesterday, one of the personal trainers at the gym spotted me as I was leaving.  I hadn't seen her since week 1 of the 12WBT when they were showing me how to correctly do the exercises.  She was amazed at how much I've changed and said that I look so much better in the face and overall just look more vibrant.

So I'm going to post some photos of how I looked before and how I looked yesterday just to show the comparison.  I have definately lost my chin.

After Gym Training 11 June 2013

Before

I think I'm looking less...rotund??

Maybe not so 53ish too?

Day 23 #12WBT - Fitness Test Results

Let's face facts.  I haven't dropped as much weight yet as I would have liked.  But 2.6 kilos in 4 weeks is steady progress, so really, I'm adjusting to the slow and steady approach.

But I was totally shocked when I did my 4 week measuring up. 

I lost a total of 22.5cm!

The biggest change was in my waist.  I went from a 121 cm to a 108cm.  That's huge!

So not so much of a muffin top anymore.  I'm hoping that the next 4 weeks' will see more of a weight shift off my hips and legs.  That's always been the stubborn area!

On the fitness test - I cut 2 whole minutes off my 1km time trial.  TWO MINUTES!!  I can't say that I love running, but I do respect it and the results that I am getting from doing it.  I am learning to respect the cross trainer, but I'm not quite there yet in my embracing love for it.

Clothes are definately fitting better!





 

Day 22 #WBT The silence was deafening!

I haven't blogged for over a week!

I went away and was so busy, that I couldn't find the time or energy to post.  But to be honest - I was disappointed.  I thought I had it sussed with the hotel gym equipment but when I got there, half the equipment was broken and between you and me, I really didn't trust the mats or floors without knowledge of a good bleach treatment to kill all those germs.

I guess it didn't help that I read an article on the plane about hotels, and that a particular hotel, when tested, admitted that they hadn't washed the hotel carpet in 10 years!  Ugh.  So with that in mind, I stuck with the machines that were working and did double, sometimes triple the amount.

In the end, I was left feeling disappointed.  I don't think I pushed myself as hard as I could have.  However, I DID make it to the gym every day (except Sunday being a rest day), so at least I was consistent.

I returned last Tuesday night and headed straight to my regular gym.  I realise now that my gym has spoiled me.  I like watching tv while on the bike, or plugging in my iPhone while on the treadmill listening to my playlists. 

When I got back into the routine of things here and caught up on my work, I realised something profound that I didn't think I'd ever say or admit.  I realised that I was starting to get cranky if I didn't get to the gym by about 4pm.

Yes.  Moi.  Really.  Crazy.

I noticed something else about me too.  I'm looking younger.  Before I was looking tired and haggared and more 'my age', which is 53.  But looking at myself in the mirror tonight after my workout and shower, I think I could pass for someone in their 40's!  There was no tiredness in my face - or those grey looking wrinkles around my eyes.

So I guess the silence in my blogs this past week was worth the wait maybe?

And finally - I am FINALLY starting to get my personality back.  Yeah.  Who'd have guessed that!!

Perhaps my blogs will start getting more fun?  I hope so as I was really boring myself!

:))

Day 12 #12WBT Time crunch

Today was a mammoth day at work.  I had to prepare for going away and all day presentations in Brisbane on Friday.  

Too little time to get things done.

I did my gym training at 3pm and went back to work afterwards.  I then worked from 5pm-9pm, and kept my computer screen on to see #Michellebridges live chat to us 12wbt-ers.

It was a nice diversion from working late.

6:30 am flight in the am.

Still not accomplished everything but glad I forced my exercise into my day!

Day 11 - #12WBT - Feeling low today - Anyone else feeling blah?

Not sure if it's the cooler weather here, but today, I'm feeling depressed and low.

I just had a snoop at next week's exercise plan and it's harder and maybe that too is affecting my mood.

Although I didn't lose any weight at yesterday's weigh in, I stepped on the scales this morning and I'm -200gm, so that's at least something.

My jeans are definitely so much looser - almost uncomfortably looser.  Maybe it won't be too much longer before I can fit back into my 'skinnier' jeans.

We'll see.  I'm not celebrating just yet.

Work is dismal today.  The weather is grey and overcast and my gym session today is at 3pm.  It will be interesting to see what that does to pick my mood up.  Normally I go to the gym in the morning and maybe this is just my body going 'What's up?  Where's the treadmill??'

I hope so.  I'll let you know.

I'm off to Brisbane tomorrow for a day of boardroom presentations, so it will be my first hotel gym session.  I am looking forward to that.  Plus they have a swimming pool - although I should check to see if it's heated!!

(PS - I went for my training this afternoon and feel heaps better for completing it.  I even did an extra 10 minutes on the treadmill as a warm up to my warm up.  It's shifted my mood a bit too, which shows that it's really working well.

I also just can't get out of my mind that poor soldier who was hacked to death in London today.  I used to live in London and I am really still very connected to the place.  I lived about 6 miles from where the attack happened, so I think that's what's affected my mood so much this morning.  Prayers for that poor young guy and his family and friends.)

Day 10 #WBT - As predicted - a disappointment on the scales - but 8cm lost!

Yesterday I was psyching myself up as I knew I hadn't dropped the kilos, even though I was following the program as hard as I could.

I knew there were changes happening and my clothes were feeling looser.  But still today I had hoped for maybe even a .200gm loss. 

Nope.  Nothing.  I am exactly the same as I was last week.  (*heavy sigh*)

But even though I was feeling sad that I had put in 14 hours in gym time over the past 7 days for no kilo loss result, I wasn't going to be beaten by what the numbers said on the scale today.  I took out the tape measure and measured up - comparing what I was 10 days ago. 

The big result is that I've lost 8cm off my waist.  E I G H T!

That's this much:

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So that's a big win.  And with that, I managed to haul my sorry self to the gym and smashed out today's cardio program.  I almost did 10km today on the bike, rowing machine and treadmill.  That's an epic win too.  I'm trying to fill my life with positives, because I really am devastated I didn't lose any weight. Maybe next week, I'll see a difference in those numbers and celebrate with a white wine spritzer!

I'm still disappointed, but I'll count my calories harder and make sure I record them.  Perhaps I've erred somewhere in my nutrition and haven't realised?

I appreciate that with exercise, fat gets replaced with muscle and that's most likely the cause of no kilo loss.  But it would have been nice to see some shift downwards.

OK, I won't dwell on this.  Just saying.  I'll keep chipping away at it.

Thanks for listening.