Sunday, May 22, 2011

If you can dream it you can achieve it!!!

BLOG CHALLENGE WEEK ONE!

It is Monday the 15th of August 2011. Another round of Michelles 12 week body transformation program has finished but this one has been different. I didnt quit half way through and I ate clean the whole way. I look back on my progress in admiration of myself at how far I have come since the same time last year. After 4 rounds of the program, I finally got what it all meant. The mindset lessons, the weekly streams, the food, the exercise....it all makes sense now.

The phone rings and its one to tell me that I need to be at the finale party as I have placed within the top 20 amazing transformations! I have done it. I have believed and I have achieved. I know now that I will be looking fabulous when I have my first ever professional photo shoot done. This of course is part of the prize that I have just won. i have also been told that I have been so impressive and inspiring that I am to continue on in the program as an ambassador so I can help others who have been where I was and let them know that anything is achievable if you want it to be so.

This round has been a major challenge for not only me but also my head. I have got it where I want it to be and  feel amazing for it. Finishing this round has been like finishing a major assessment that is due in 12 weeks and then getting not just a pass but a distinction for it! No longer am i ashamed to look in the mirror and I am once again able to buy at least size 12 clothing. I have done the hard yards.

It has taken alot of tears and mindset lessons to get to this point but I wouldnt change any of it. Eating junk food and being lazy WAS a way of life, but there is so much more out there when you want it. I have got to meet some amazing people and have made lifelong friends. There is no going back to where I was. ever again.

I started the round with a motto. A line from my them song..."NOTHING STAYS THE SAME....MAYBE ITS TIME TO CHANGE". I now finish with the line altered...."NOTHING STAYS THE SAME.....I HAVE DEFINITELY CHANGED".

Cath xoxo

Saturday, May 21, 2011

I got a feeling.......

So here I sit, 2 days before official start of the 12WBT and I am excited! I have jsut arrived home after doing my shopping to which I have decided to do things a little different this time round as in previous times, I have doubled up on certain fruit and vegies since they have gone yucko before we have got to eat them. Not this time though. I have decided to buy the veg I know will keep today and get the others fresh. I will also get the meat fresh to since I do chop and change the menu around to suit time constraints. First time EVER too is I also pre purchased my snacks. I usually buy those on a daily basis too but look how that turns out. This is my 4th round and I am no where near my goal!

I have got the whole family (well almost the whole family) involved this time since I figure they are old enough to start understanding the importance of healthy eating. On that topic, I was lucky enough in round three last year to win an amazing George Foreman grill. Mind you it has sat in the cupboard since I received it a few months ago. Last night though I finally pulled it out as my 11 year old son decided he wanted to cook hamburgers for dinner. I told him that is fine and also I chose a healthier option by having a chicken breast with salad. So anyhow, to cut a long story short, I heard Haydie in the kitchen going on about how grose something was so went out to have a look. He was shocked at how much fat was coming out of the hamburger patties (they were jsut there black and gold brand ones). He was like mum, mum you have to take a photo of this!





So there you go. My son is learning the importance of healthy cooking too! He also said that next time we will make our own from scratch to see the difference!

I have spent the last almost week ill with the flu but I have to share a secret with you all.......Codral might be the bomb and help you feel better by masking your illness whereas you can eat something that is Mish approved, tastes delicious but it does look disgusting......Ill go for the good food to help heal & boost the system. Heres a pic of what I have been eating for the last 5 days and other than a bit of a blocky nose, I am feeling pretty darn good!




Yep thats right, good ol' broccoli soup. Packed with the goodness of garlic, onion, and broccoli. It may look a little off putting but even my kids love this one (once they got past the colour.....haha) :)

Anyhow, must sign off! I have managed to get in a dance fitness class and a 5km walk this week. Pretty stoked with that since I havent exercised properly since New Years Eve! I cant wait to get on the scales Wednesday to see how much lower the numbers are :)

Will be back later to continue on....have to be a mummy right at this moment. Have an amazing Saturday people!

Cath xoxo

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

And here we go again :) Its preseason task number one!

Hi everyone!

I am Cath and I weigh 85kg! I am 34 years old and a mummy to 4, hmmmm, not sure amazing would be the word to describe my two teenage daughters but definitely says it all about my almost 12year old son and my toddler daughter who turns 3 in September. As for a word to describe my 15 and 17 year old girls, well other than the fact they are good girls means nothing since my god they do my head in with there mood swings! But thats another story smile I am happily married and have been for 14 years. My husband and I have been together since I was 16 and are still very much in love (well sometimes....lol). I live in a small country town about 30 minutes from Wagga Wagga called Coolamon in New South Wales.

As for me personally, I took the plunge back mid last year to sign up for round two of 12WBT. I amazed myself with giving up smoking (and are still smoke free 12 months later!), losing almost 10kg and being with 5kg of my goal weight. I headed to Sydney, did the work out, met the amazing Michelle as well as made some lifelong friends ships with many of the 12wbters. I had a whole new family! Then I excitedly signed up for round two and even applied for university as I was so confident......it was week 5 when my personal trainer went away on holidays and left our gym without anyone to train our group. Us girls continued on for a few weeks but gradually one by one people stopped coming and it was down to me and two others. The other two mind you were machines! I am talking triathalon type people (as in they travel to do them all the time!). I just couldn't keep up & slowly but surely my 6 days a week at the gym became 1 then none.My clean diet went down the drain with the hassles of having to move and having no where to move to, stressing about money and like a snowball effect the excuses came in first one then another until finally I am back where I started living in a world of excuses!.

To put it out there on the table and show you how quick things can change and how fast weight can be gained.....in September last year, I weighed in on the final round at 70.1kg. I stood on the scales this morning in tears when I saw the figures 85.1kg come up! I have undone all that work. I have not been to the gym or even out running since November last year I think to be honest. I signed up for round one this year but didnt even make it out of the starting blocks! I am calling the last two rounds for me personally, donation rounds! I have promised myself and made a commitment to my husband that I will not waste his money this time as since we are both students, this is money we really can not afford.

12WBT is an amazing program! I used it for what it was in round two last year and came away with the confidence to do things I didnt think possible. It is the 12wbt program that gave me the courage to apply for university and here I sit typing this up as a first year university student studying to fulfill a dream I have had since I was younger but became a mum myself, something I never thought would be possible.

I am looking forward to my journey which I think this time will be completed as I did in round two last year. I am slowly working through my mindset lessons as I do have university assessments which do take priority but its nice to know that I have my reward here to take my mind away from everything. I am also looking forward to making new friends as well as reigniting old friendships with people whom I know that are still around (we should almost be charged rent no wouldnt we peoples as we are part of the furniture....haha).

So all in all I sit here 8 months later, 15kg heavier and really ready this time to tackle my fears head on. The thing different this round......I have the support of my husband who is going to follow unofficially with me in the program. Usually I did it alone. So this is my advice to you all!

SUPPORT AT HOME IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SUPPORT YOU CAN GET!!

I can be found on facebook - http://www.facebook.com/mrsperko
or even twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/cathperko

Enjoy the program and smash it up then smash it up some more. Dont make this a donation round wink

Cath xoxo

PS I apologise in advance for the long read. I just want no hidden things in the closet this round! Time to clean out the rubbish smile