Train, Dont Complain :)

People who train together stay together ;) Training session with hubby! Intervals on the treadmill and even running on 12 (OMG!!). 30 minutes for a cal burn of 430. I am wondering now why I spent so long from exercise. Its our 17th wedding anniversary tomorrow and we have dinner planned at a little Indian Restaurant. I think we are going to have to do some boxing tomorrow to preburn those naughty calories otherwise weigh in will be very bad!

Happy with how the mind is melding into the right place. Maybe, just maybe, this might be THE TIME!

Cath xoxo

A good place? or a bad place? We all start somewhere!

So I missed posting on Sunday last week but I do have an excuse (always an excuse!). It was my daughters 18th birthday on Australia Day and yes I did live a little and indulge a bit too much.

My head is in a good place this week since my disaster of last week. Finally I realised that you cant have your cake and eat it too when you want to look good and feel good. By Friday, I had gained almost 300g OVER my start weight. For me, the week was more of a mindset test. I had to prove to myself that eating all that crap just wasn't going to work and something had to give. It did give! My weight was ballooning AND FAST!! This is why I haven't been able to get that part of my head right. Too many times I have convinced myself that it was ok to have that piece of chocolate (or indulge in the whole block) since I had lost a few hundred grams. I was wrong. I know many people who have read this far are probably thinking...omg is this chick serious!....how stupid is she! but this is my journey and these are part of my demons that I am fighting.

So I had 2 days to correct all that I had done wrong. I ate clean, I drank bucket loads of water and come Sunday, I was happy to see a number less than I had started with. It was only 300g but it still meant the numbers were going down. I have also never been so sick as I have been since choosing an unhealthy lifestyle. I began January with an upper respiratory infection and now I sit here typing this with a throat that feels like its on fire! So this week I have been thinking that being unhealthy, eating unhealthy and generally leading an unhealthy lifestyle can lead to illness. If thats the case, then why do we put ourselves through this week in week out just for that sugar or salt hit?

My amazing hubby got me a new toy and it was delivered this week! I made up my first single server smoothie this morning. A mix of banana, honey, mango, 1/2 cup low fat milk, 1 scoop protein powder and a cup of ice. I cant begin to explain how good it tastes and whats better is that its healthy! I will experiment more over the coming weeks and see what other interesting things I can come up with :)

Now onto the numbers stuff. My weight and measurements

SW: 79.9kg
CW: 79.9kg
WLTW: 300g
WIW1: 79.6 (26/01/2014)
WIW2:
WIW3:
WIW4:
WIW5:
WIW6:
WIW7:
WIW8:
WIW9:
WIW10:
WIW11:
WIW12:

GW1 - 78.9kg
GW2 - 76.9kg
GW3 - 74.9kg
GW4 - 70kg
GW5 - 68kg
10%GW - 71.9kg
EGW - 65kg

Until next blog, try hard on keeping that mind in the right place :)

Cath xoxo

Why cant I just get it right the first time instead of yoyo dieting?

Hi all! My name is Cathy and I once again weigh 79.9kg. Story of my life it seems when only 6 months ago I was cheering when I saw 74kg on the scales. So what is it that clicks in our head that sends up straight back where we started from?

I often have asked myself this over the years as I would try to search out the balancing act that I see so many of my friends find. I mean they can fit in healthy eating AND exercise daily, so why cant I? Then it hit me......

I AM TOO BUSY COMPARING WHAT I CANT DO THEN JUST FOCUSING ON WHAT I CAN!

I am also too busy comparing myself with others overall that I just give up! Seems to be what happens each and every time. University assessments, parenting, being a wife....it all adds up and sometimes I just would love that extra hour in my day to #jfdi but where would I find it? Then I look at others and how they seem to get through each day seamlessly fitting in eating, exercise time and their family. So where am I going wrong?

I am planning to try and get my blog back up and going at least once a week (weigh in day Sunday). I hope to be able to share my challenges and successes with you all and I do also hope that I still have some people following.

If this is to be, its up to me!

Now onto the numbers stuff. My weight and measurements

SW: 79.9kg
CW: 79.9kg
WLTW: 
WIW1:
WIW2:
WIW3:
WIW4:
WIW5:
WIW6:
WIW7:
WIW8:
WIW9:
WIW10:
WIW11:
WIW12:

GW1 - 78.9kg
GW2 - 76.9kg
GW3 - 74.9kg
GW4 - 70kg
GW5 - 68kg
10%GW - 71.9kg
EGW - 65kg

Chest: W1: 92cm Wk4: Week 8: NOW: 92cm
Waist: W1: 100cm Wk4: Week 8: NOW: 100cm
Hips: W1: 104.5cm Wk4: Week 8: NOW: 104.5cm
Thigh measurement distance from knee: 33cm
(L) Thigh: W1: 60cm Wk4:  Week 8:  NOW: 60cm

BMI is 28

Heres to change and making things right!

Until next time, remember you are worth it.

Cath xoxo

Body Image and the Affect on Us.....or is that just me?

So, watching big brother last night (yes I do watch the show....lol), and my 5 year old hands me a Lorna Jane catalogue. Now usually I love looking through them as I do love LJ but I just found myself getting angry and upset. Here I was watching on tele all these gorgeous girls with amazing bodies and in the LJ book the same thing.....then there is me. A frumpy 37 year old with 4 kids who has been mum since I was 17 and realising that I could never look like these girls do as they are all so young. I was close to tears......but then I thought some more.....if I am looking at the world that way, then how are my kids looking at it? Is this why we have problems with youngsters and eating disorders? Is this why our kids have problems with body image?

Now I know to some this might sound like I was in a stupid place that I shouldnt have been in but I was really hurt and really down. To be honest, I stuck to the challenge for almost 6 solid weeks. Did all the training, ate the food as I was told and then took that dreaded progress photo and you know what I saw....nothing. No changes. I still had the muffin top that disgusts me when I look in the mirror. Yes I was lighter on the scales by a couple of kilo but it also changed my mindset to a downhill run. I started thinking that I shouldnt have to go without cause hey, nothing is changing anyway.....

Then the bad habits slipped back in.....I started skipping training sessions. My diet is spot on and clean of a day but then night time hits and I sit back and see these gorgeous people on tele and think bah ill never get there so the hard days work is lost in a sea of popcorn and icecream! Everywhere I look there is people who are young fit and toned up. I remind myself that these ladies havent had kids but I know that is just an excuse. I say well if I had the time they did I wouldnt be where I am.....yep another excuse.

Taking the time to sit and reflect I think is important in this journey. We need to remember that we are not all the same and we are not all travelling the same direction. Life is different for everyone and whilst that person may have hours and hours to devote to the gym and food, another may not. Sometimes a reminder from our own children puts everything where it needs to be to know that you are loved and appreciated. This is what my 19 year old daughter wrote just the other day when things seemed like an uphill battle;

"You are an amazing woman, and you have done better than a majority of the uni students anywhere, raising four kids as well as a full time uni degree, and on top of that helping dad and myself with ours, when you can."

That one reminder that you are important to people and that there is a major reason you are getting healthy. So where am I going with this......

Sometimes we just have to go back to where we started. Beginning again does not mean you have quit, it just means you have hit a bump in the road. Thats life and we must pick ourselves up and get back on the wagon.

Ok I got off track.....so am I alone in feeling like this? I think this is going to be a tough hole to pull myself out of this time :( 

Until next blog, keep on trying and whatever you do.....DONT GIVE UP!!!

Cath xoxo

Im back and loving life!

18 August 2013, 8:52am

Hi gang!

Well it was the meltdown I needed to have. What seemed like an eternity of wollowing has turned into a force to be reckoned with! I mean this time last week I was sitting there thinking about everyone else and my lack of results, today I sit here thinking OMG my abs are on fire!! At least I know they are there today.....they are just hidden under a few layers of flubber that I am working on losing ;)

So what have I been doing? Well I have found that getting in and doing my workouts earlier is a good thing. It also means I get them done too! I have so much that I need to get done but I also know that the fitter and healthier I am, the longer I will be around so that is taking priority for my 1 hour every day (although I think I might rest today as I am in a little bit of pain. Good pain though!)

I keep forgetting that I need to put my story up here. I will have to get to that as well as all my measurements and weight I have tracked along the way. It will show that even though the progress is slow, it is there and they say slow and steady wins the race!

Oh almost forgot!! Yesterday I managed to up all my weights on the last set!! I was so excited! I dont think though that I could do the heavier weight for all 3 sets but one is a start! I might give it a go when hubby is doing my session with me (he is also a PT) but until then, ill work on getting more out of the heavier weights :)

Have an amazing Sunday challengers! Remember you are all amazing and you are all worth it and so much more.

Cath xx

Some days its just plain hard!!

15 August 2013, 9:15am

What started as a simple status on my facebook fitness page, ended up becoming a story and something I thought need to be shared here on my blog! 

So facebook asks me "what have you been up to?" and I think, yes, what have I been up to? Well, its been a week of mind games, highs and lows. I took a dreaded progress pic and really never should have gone there. Looking at it, I cant see any change but I feel the changes. Nope not good enough!! I am working my butt off in the home gym 4 days a week but where is my progress? Where is my definition that is starting to show? Nope, not happening!!

So it comes back to the question, what have you been up to? Well to answer honestly, I have done nothing! Yep thats right...NOTHING!! and why have I done nothing, cause my stupid mind has won this week. Things like, you are working as hard as everyone else, but where is your results? you are super clean with your diet but where are you lost kilos? Sound familiar to anyone?

Yep, I am lost somewhere on the highway of who cares and why bother. Trying so hard to get back onto hard'n up street though but its tough when you feel like you are getting left behind.

So what now? I sit here after not working out for over a week (other than a stint here and there on the treadie), feeling frumpy and lazy but kind of proud that food is at least not the major problem. Need to get the headspace back that I had in the first couple of weeks but it can be hard. I need to find a 'me' hour in my day. That one hour where I can just workout freely and not have the stress of 'but this hour could have been used on an assessment' or 'this hour could have been used to spend extra time with the kids'.

So today, I will find my 'me' time and if I have to, write it up on the whiteboard of things to do so that everyone knows when my me hour/time is!! The challenge is about to head into a new phase after next week and I am already a week behind :( I cant change what has happened in the past, but I can change what is going to happen in the future. I cant help but worry though, this week away will be detrimental to my success and I cant help but feel like its almost not worth it since I am now behind where before I was in front.

Have a great day everyone! For me, its assignment work first, then some me time and finally, its time to remember why we are worth it. We are important and most of all, we are loved. Keep on, keeping on and we will get there.

Cath xx

Just not into it today :(

12 August 2013, 5:58pm

Hey gang!

Not feeling it today. Got some bad news that our house is going on the market so means we might have to move the family AGAIN!! Seems we have to move every 12 months lately! (we have moved 5 times in the last 4 years. Not an easy task when you have 3 kids as well). To top that off my throat still isnt the best and all my muscles are aching yet. I could just curl up and sleep the day away.

Hope you are all fairing better than I am. Food however.....PERFECT!! Spot On and couldnt be better. Along with water of over 2.5L so far for the day. So thats a good thing.

I have decided though that hubby and I should do our strength on alternate days. This means that instead of finishing the evening in the pain chamber at around 7 (when it is totally freezing out there), we will finish around 5.30 each night. Much better option for us both! I am thinking though, would I need to change my diet to suit that change in workout though? Might have to do some research on that!

Take care!

Cath

Its nice to have time alone with hubby :)

9 August 2013, 8:13pm

Hi Gang!!

Went on a cute date with hubby at one of the nice Chinese places. Ate way too much, feeling way too full but it was nice to have some us time as we never do anything without the children. I think I gained 3kg tonight so it looks like ill be working hard this weekend to burn it off. It was for a good cause though.

Just to add, it has been years since we actually were able to get out WITHOUT children so tonight was nice. It felt even better to fill up on fruit and salad rather than all things greasy. 

You can go out and enjoy yourself without the worry of falling off the wagon too hard. BIG WEEKEND coming up although have to get through tomorrows footy trip with dear son to Albury (2 hours away). Already pre-prepared though so no detouring.

Have a great weekend

Cath xx

Need to beat the mind games!!

7 August 2013, 8:50pm

Reading through the posts on the forum and cant help but feel a little disappointed in my very small weight loss of 200g this week. I know people say, "but a loss is a loss". Sometimes a small loss is a hard pill to swallow when you know you have done the work but the body jsut wont catch up to show you!

So, reading the forums and I see that there seems to be minimal people in my position (small losses) but so many who have achieved outstanding results. They are outstanding too and should be congratulated!! Then there is me, I feel I have done all I could last week before getting on those scales. I even flexed my will power muscle whilst out at the school boys carnival and stuck to my guns to eat healthy......the scales though, they barely budged. The same thing happend last week too. The week before that I was happy dancing with a 1.5kg loss!! WOOHOO! Yay. But is this the way it is going to happen? Big loss, no loss, small loss? I havent changed anything? Perhaps I should? 

So many questions!!

You know what though......I am trusting the process. I am going to stick to what is on the nutrition and training schedule and I am hoping.....no scratch that, I know that the results are going to come. This is just another test in the mind games of getting to a healthier version of me. I am moving from the I cant to the I CAN!! I am also trying to get my head around the fact that what is happening to someone else, doesnt necessarily mean I am suppose to get the exact same results! 

So to all those that are just like me out there and wondering why you are losing just little numbers, stick with it!

HERES TO THE SCALES CATCHING UP!! 

My new mantra.....I am 65kg, the scales just arent showing it yet :)

Have a great Wednesday

Cath xx

Week 2 Post Catch up!!

6 August 2013, 7:21am

Week 2 day 2 and after a bit of a slip up yesterday we are all good and set to go for the next 11 weeks (I am afterall only human)! I am happy to say it took 3 weeks to have a slip up so not to bad at all :) Had a rest day yesterday after feeling totally exhausted and a good night sleep proved beneficial as well. Sometimes we just need to listen to our bodies and let them recover ;)

So today its back to uni and then some time in the pain chamber! I think ill get some cardio in today just to make up for some guilty pleasures of yesterday.

Have a great Tuesday and remember to eat clean and train hard. The hard work is paying off :)

Cath xx

6 August 2013, 6:32pm

The bounce is back in the step and I am in queue to head out to the pain chamber ;) Hubby is first off the rank and then its my turn to do some lifting. Yes its cardio day but I took yesterday off and listened to my body to have a break!! Failure is when you give up and never look back, this is more a small speed hump that has been overcome and I am pumped!! Uni assessments can wait today as I have some business to attend to

Bring on the weights! I love that I can say, I am female and yes, I do lift!!

Cath xx

ETA UPDATE!! Arms like jello, legs feel like heavy weights. I think its safe to say that I smashed todays workout including upping my weights on the lat pulldowns!! WooHoo!! Now time for a feast of grilled chicken and steamed veg then its onto the elusive uni work that is still hanging over my head

Have a great night people!!

NEWS!!!

So I have been casually blogging as part of the Maxines 12 Weeks Challenge and figured that I should share with you all here what my new adventure is over there :)

So from now on, everytime I update my blog over there (Maxines 12 Week Challenge), ill copy the blog to here so that my readers can read and I can share with you all my experience.

Just to catch you up, here is Week 1 entries (last week!)

29 July 2013, 12:45pm

Day 1, week 1 and we are off!! I am actually looking forward to what will be after 12 weeks. Being a full time mum, full time uni student and full time wife can prove difficult at times but with some preplanning hopefully this wont be too much of an issue. It is even more exciting that my husband Michael is also doing the challenge. He is a freshly qualified personal trainer so I can see that qualification coming in handy for us both as the weeks progress. 

I have been following the menu loosely for the last 2 weeks and still cant get rid of the evening popcorn. Everything else from softdrink to chocolate was easily gone but mmmm popcorn! Something to work on. Have changed the menu a little as I just cannot stomach tuna. EWWWW! So having some grilled chicken instead for lunch today. 

So exciting!! I hope you enjoy following me on my journey. Through the ups and downs, highs and the lows, its going to be a challenge but we will survive :)

Cath 

30 July 2013, 7:31am

Breakfast of champions consisting of Body Effects and some L-Carnitine to start the day followed up with a Maxines BURN Protein shake and topped off with yoghurt! Yummo Thought I would be a little sore after yesterdays workout as I pushed myself beyond limits but feeling pretty good actually! 

Have an amazing day everyone. I am out at uni all day today and am all prepared with precooked food and snacks. No excuses!

Eat Clean. Train Hard!

Cath

30 July 2013, 8:17pm

It's time for a change!!

That is my motto for the next 12 weeks. Spent the day at uni and pre-preparing lunch meant no slip ups on the way! Now the matter I do need to control is POPCORN!!! OMG I love the stuff and finding it hard not to have my nightly fill of popcorn. I guess it could be worse but no where on the plan does it mention POPCORN! Maybe the nutrition crew forgot to add it on ;)

Original start pics are up and im planning to take new ones next week since that will hopefully show some nice changes that I know I can see/feel happening.

Cath

1 August 2013, 10:31am

Morning of day 4 and its going to be a tough one! I have a few assessments that have slowly piled up and are all due next week. Difference this time however is I dont have my old friend chocolate beside me. Instead, its all clean eating and when things get too tense, I have a boxing bag I can let off some steam with :)

When these are done, I will be able to sit down and write my story to share with you all. It is a battle I have been fighting for years now and this time im playing to win :) Havent had this determination in any of my other ventures so I think I might finally have it right now.

Anyhow, I hear assessments calling my name (they are a bit noisy actually), so whilst the house is empty, I should probably focus on those. I can see why they call this a challenge cause for me, it is going to be just that since the whole 12 weeks are my uni session. Preparation is really key for me. So glad I have hubby on board (he is doing Maxs).

Better add a blurb in about my pics. Pic one is of my yongest daughter who is 4 and loves to sit out in our home gym counting out our reps. A real little PT in the making she is :)

Second is of breakkie this morning! Mmmmm love my porridge with BURN shake. Not to mention it really fixes those hunger pangs you sometimes get first thing in the morning!

Report back later! 

Eat clean, train hard

Cath

1 August 2013, 7:49pm

Week 1 Day 4 Update - managed to get through the day really well! Diet is SPOT ON! Can't do any better (although having myself a boiled egg to fill the gap that is giving me hunger pangs this evening!). Thinking of taking another pic on the weekend as that will be the end of 3 weeks of healthy eating and working out so something should be changing ;)! Early one to tonight as starting to get a decent sleep pattern happening finally. Eat clean and train hard everyone. Until tomorrow, goodnight, sweet dreams.

Cath

4 August 2013, 11:17am

Hi gang!!

Here we are at the end of week 1 and what a week it has been!! Diet has been spot on, weights training (other than last night) has been over and above whats needed cardio is still a bit of a worry but knowing that I am not sitting all day is a good thing!

Yesterday was the biggest challenge so far though. My son was playing rugby league at the schoolboys carnival all day. This meant some time away from the safety of my home. I packed a couple of BURN bars not even thinking about lunch! Around 11am we wandered over to the Liqurice Factory for a hot cuppa. Mmmmm hot chocolate.....WAIT!! Thats not on the menu EVER!! So I asked for a cup of green tea with lemon. They were lovely and cut me some fresh lemon slices to put in my cup. YES! I had flexed my will power muscle in a shop filled with hot chocolate and cheesecake.....not to mention chocolate covered liquorice!

Step two was working out what to have for lunch. As many would know, a footy carnival isnt really the place to find the healthiest of foods. Then it clicked! Steak sandwich! Yes! I could have a steak sandwich with no onion and no sauce. Even better, I used the bread as a plate and easily threw those carbs away when I had finished! Thats right my friends! Steak sanwich with no bread ;) SCORE!! 

To finish the afternoon, I had another BURN bar and it was time to head home. Didnt feel much like cooking so swayed a little from the menu and had steak cookd on the BBQ and an egg. 

Exhausted and tired, both hubby and I agreed to put off our weights workout. I think both of us would have been too tired to get through a session after today. Standing on our feet from 9am till 4.30pm would have been a workout in itself.

So there you have it folks! You can go out for the day, even whilst on this challenge, and still get through without the need to sway from the plan too much. With our busy schedules, there will come times when you have to really think about what to do BUT there is always a light. We just have to not be blinded by the carbs and sugars that are in our way.

Have a great Sunday and bring on week 2!!

Oh forgot to add!! I am weighing in at 75.1kg today!! So excited!! I am getting lighter and lighter. I havent been this weight for almost 4 years now. 

Cath

Week 7 and Changes are About to Happen! Watch this Space :)

So here we are at the end of week 7 with just one more week to go in Shannans Challenge. My results havent been as good as I had hoped number wise but its these past couple of weeks that I have finally got the mindset that the numbers will not rule me. I am not looking at this from a new perspective and with hubby (who is a PT and studying nutrition) on board, I am hoping to achieve my goal sooner rather than later.

I am going to still weigh in weekly BUT I am also going to look at measurements, body fat % and muscle mass. These 3 figures together should be able to show me where the change is happening since on the scales it just isnt showing. I know for many half the battle is getting on the scales each week but for me, well I am at a weight where I really need to knuckle down in order for my body to let it go. Afterall, we have been friends for many years now and here I am saying you know what, its time to part and my body just isnt co-operating.

NOT ANYMORE!!

I am the boss and I am taking charge. Its time to tone up and get over the speed hump mindset of letting the numbers rule me. I will continue to update this and even once I get to the 12th week, I will restart another 12 weeks and I will keep going until I achieve my goals. The only way to achieve greatness is to NEVER EVER GIVE UP! That is my plan :)

So this week I am changing it up a little. Hubby is on board and he is going to fix me up a fitness plan as well as make some changes nutritionally. Now just need to move past the whole point that he is my hubby since at the end of the day, husband or not, he is a personal trainer and he does know more than I do. Hmmm this could be my toughest hurdle yet!!

Bring on the next 7 days........EEK!!

Weekly Measurements as of today 26/05/2013


SW: 79.8kg
CW: 76.3kg
WLTW: -200g
WIW1: 77.3kg
WIW2: 78.8kg
WIW3: 77.2kg
WIW4: 77.2kg
WIW5: 77.8kg
WIW6: 76.5kg
WIW7: 76.3kg
WIW8: kg
WIW9: kg
WIW10: kg
WIW11: kg
WIW12: kg

GW1 - 78kg ACHIEVED 28/4/2013
GW2 - 76kg ACHIEVED 19/05/2013
GW3 - 74kg
GW4 - 72kg
GW5 - 68kg
10%GW - 71.8kg
EGW - 65kg

Chest: W1: 87.5cm Wk4: 90cm Week 8: cm NOW: 90cm
Waist: W1: 87.5cm Wk4: 87cm Week 8: cm NOW: 90cm
Hips: W1: 99cm Wk4: 99cm Week 8: cm NOW: 97cm
Thigh measurement distance from knee: 33cm
(R) Thigh: W1: 57 Wk4: 57cm Week 8: cm NOW: 55cm
(L) Thigh: W1: 58 Wk4: 57cm Week 8: cm NOW: 55.5cm

Starting BMI is 27.9. NOW: 26.7
My goal is to get this to 23.


Cath xoxo

Week 3 - The Week that was!

So here we are and at the end of week 3! Gosh how time flies. I have been so busy this week with appointments and meetings for my daughters Debutante Ball that was on Friday, that I forgot where I was even up too. Throw uni into the mix and you almost have a disaster!

But I can hold my head high :) I may have crumbled a few times through the week food wise but I did not drink soft drink (other than in my mixers on Friday night), and the results have shown today on the scales. I am almost happy dancing today. Compared to last week where I gained a massive amount, I can proudly say that this week I have lost weight! Even after all the formalities! Although I think I danced about 3000 calories off on Friday night haha! Body is still feeling it today ;)

So onto the boring stuff!!


Weekly Measurements as of today 22/04/2013

SW: 79.8kg
CW: 77.2kg
WLTW: -1.6kg
WIW1: 77.3kg
WIW2: 78.8kg
WIW3: 77.2kg
WIW4: kg
WIW5: kg
WIW6: kg
WIW7: kg
WIW8: kg
WIW9: kg
WIW10: kg
WIW11: kg

GW1 - 78kg ACHIEVED 28/4/2013
GW2 - 76kg
GW3 - 74kg
GW4 - 72kg
GW5 - 68kg
10%GW - 71.8kg
EGW - 65kg

Chest: W1: 87.5cm Wk4: cm Week 8: cm NOW: 89cm
Waist: W1: 87.5cm Wk4: cm Week 8: cm NOW: 87cm
Hips: W1: 99cm Wk4: cm Week 8: cm NOW: 98.5cm
Thigh measurement distance from knee: 33cm
(R) Thigh: W1: 57 Wk4: cm Week 8: cm NOW: 55.5cm
(L) Thigh: W1: 58 Wk4: cm Week 8: cm NOW: 56cm

Starting BMI is 27.9. NOW: 27.4
My goal is to get this to 23.

Just before I finish, I thought I should share a pic of my gorgeous daughter on the day of her Deb!

Next weeks aim is to get some exercise in somewhere along with the healthy eating. Still trying to get them happening together but its a tough one!

Have a good week everyone!

Cath xoxo

NEW!! Weekly Measurement/Weight Post. Time to get honest!

Weekly Measurements as of today 22/04/2013

SW: 79.8kg
CW: 78.8kg
WLTW: +1.5kg
WIW1: 77.3kg
WIW2: 78.8kg
WIW3: kg
WIW4: kg
WIW5: kg
WIW6: kg
WIW7: kg
WIW8: kg
WIW9: kg
WIW10: kg
WIW11: kg

GW1 - 78kg
GW2 - 76kg
GW3 - 74kg
GW4 - 72kg
GW5 - 68kg
10%GW - 71.8kg
EGW - 65kg

Chest: W1: 87.5cm Wk4: cm Week 8: cm
Waist: W1: 87.5cm Wk4: cm Week 8: cm
Hips: W1: 99cm Wk4: cm Week 8: cm
Thigh measurement distance from knee: 33cm
(R) Thigh: W1: 57 Wk4: cm Week 8: cm
(L) Thigh: W1: 58 Wk4: cm Week 8: cm

Starting BMI is 27.9. My goal is to get this to 23.

Yin and Yang never seem to come together at the same time!

So after an amazing week with exercise 2 weeks ago where I walked through the forest for 60km ande burnt over 6000 cals for the week, I lost my way somewhere. When I weighed in last week and only lost 200g I was devastated. I mean, I did all that exercise and my eating was clean but still such a small loss.

Then the mind games began this week.......

I mean, I worked my butt off for so little so what was the point. The little voices in my head started winning and then disaster happened. I twisted my ankle walking out to the car :( Hubby who is also a personal trainer made sure I did the whole R.I.C.E thing and then it became an excuse. Hey I dont have to exercise if im injured right. I can sit here and munch on junk food and just lax out cause im in pain right......WRONG!! Its these mind games that have seen me sit on that 10-15kg to lose for over 2 years now. How can I have been so strong just 2 weeks ago yet so weak now? Its these questions that I ask myself everyday yet I still procrastinate and do more thinking than doing! I mean this week I ended up GAINING 1,5kg. 1.5 damn kilos back on this body. Admittedly I have still lost a few centimeters but 1.5kg puts me so close to where I started 10 weeks ago! Why cant I get this right once and for all?

So this brings me to my question...................

So how do we get the yin working in unison with the yang? It's a question I ask myself often. I mean, I can get the food right but not at the same time as the exercise and then when I get the exercise right, the food slides. It's a tough one! They say food is 80% of the challenge but not when you have such a small amount to lose. You need that 20% exercise In Order  to drop the kilos. This week I am going to use my food diary and aim for at least 3 workout sessions this week. My daily goal is to drink at least 2L of water. It's the small steps that turn into big ones eventually. I am going back to my old motto this week "Be true to yourself and your dreams will be achieved".

Have an amazin week everyone! Reach for your dreams no matter how big or small xoxo

Cath

So.........

So I think this girl has it all worked out! A diet is not what I am on since I am not giving up anything. The option to eat whatever is still there, I am just choosing not to rather than the alternative.

So this ones a quick post from me today since uni is back in full swing! Stoked with myself for really getting in there and JFDIing today. Here was my schedule.....

9am-10am lecture

10am-11am.......FREETIME but GUESS WHAT I DID!!!!!

I WENT TO THE FRICKIN GYM. Yes thats right. I went and used that time to smash out a 48 minute session with a good friend. 577 calories and OMG felt amazing when I was done. Cath 1 - Voices - 0. Oh yeah!

then 11am-12pm was yet another lecture.

Who says that you cant mix uni with pleasure. Planning on heading to the gym again tomorrow after my 8am lecture too. Now, if I can keep this up each week, I will have beaten the uni curse of weight gain each session.....and ill be happy dancing as I will be allowed to shop once again at my fave shop....Lorna Jane!

BRING IT ON!!! Nothing is stopping me now :)

Cath xoxo

A new start, A new year

Well what a week! I was lucky enough to be given an amazing opportunity by my good friend Detta and even though she is over the other side of the country, once again we are tackling our weight issues together.

So what have I been doing this last week.....where do I start...

Well from Monday I am part of Shannan Pontons 8 week challenge. I had heard so much about it but being a seasoned 12WBTer, I didnt even think twice about trying something new. That is when my dear friend Detta sent me a wonderful inbox on Saturday night with a magic little code that would see me step out of my comfort zone and give this a try. I will say I have been a little nervous as I have been with 12WBT since round 2 back in its first year. I have learnt many mindset lessons and achieved so much during that time. So to be doing something else was a little out of my box that I have created. The known rather than the unknown. One thing I wont do is put down one program or the other. They both have their strengths and weaknesses and for me I am lucky to be given the opportunity to see how something different, something new works.

It all started on Monday! Wow I thought, rest day on the first day of the program. WOOHOO! I like this. Lazed around and really laxed out. Then woke up Tuesday refreshed and ready to go. Endurance workout is what Shannan called it. I called it OMG this really hurts like hell workout. I pushed through though and finished the challenge set before me. I remember wanting to stop and give up after just 25 minutes but I beat the mind games and got through the full 60 minutes without a break!

So bring on Wednesdays workout....hmm this one looked easy. A few ab workouts here and there but then after I wrote it all down I was like EEK! OMG this is going to hurt and how am I going to get through it. Its these mind games that have always set me so far behind and I have not been able to move forward. This is why I am still not even close to my goal weight. I need to turn that negative I CANT, into a positive I CAN more often. So anyhow, here is my breakdown of Wednesdays workout where I burnt 692 cals for my efforts.

I can tell you that by the 3rd time around I was in worlds of pain and the 5kg I had on the benchpress felt like 100kg! I guess something worked cause the DOMs came visiting after this one. Same thing again for todays (08/02/13) workout. I think its going to hurt more but in a good way!

Yesterday was a little harder.....this funny little workout that Shannan calls Spartan Sprints. I had heard him and many others talk about them on his facebook page or twitter, but never knew what they were. Maybe some part of me is wishing I still didnt know what they were.....haha. I pushed myself well out of my comfort zone on this one. I am usually happy to sit on 8km when running on the treadie but for these, pushed it out to 9km and even smashed out 10km for the last 100m. Hubby smashed himself by doing the whole lot on 16km then the final 100m on 20km!! Its nice to have him there right beside me doing the same workouts. Helps keep me motivated.

I was even stoked to get a reply from Shannan on twitter when I posted up this pic on his feed! WOOHOO!!

So ill share my weigh ins with my blog followers each week!

Start weight (01/02/2013) - 79.8kg (EEK!)

So far so good. I have been following the menu plan and the workout plans to a T and cant wait till weigh in day on Sunday to see how it has all panned out. My water intake is so much better as well and the mind games are becoming easier to defeat.  I am slowly getting back into the zone.

One thing I wanted to say though is that whether you are following a program or just doing it alone and eating healthy with added exercise, each and every one of us does this for ourselves. I do this for ME. I might have my workouts being written up by someone else but I am the one smashing them out each day. Hubby is the one there beside me telling me I CAN do just one more. So dont get confused when asked how you lost all your weight. It can be either this program or that program but at the end of it all, it was YOU who took the steps to achieve the outcome. Signing up doesnt mean you have taken a magic pill to look/feel good. It takes work. It takes time. It takes effort. IT TAKES WILLPOWER!

We are all important. Lets rock whatever it is we are doing and start living the healthy life we are all entitled to living.

So smash those workouts, put away the chocolate and become that person you so want to be!

Cath xoxo

Its that time yet again.....

First of all, I hope all my readers had a fabulous Christmas and its time to now look to the new year. Step away from the left over pavlova!

So Christmas has been and gone and I don't even want to begin to think about the food that has gone in my mouth. It may have been healthy but oh lordy there was definitely way too much! Not to mention the amazing desserts that we are tempted with during this celebration week.

So what brings me to write up in my blog again? Well I was going to just start anew but then I thought why do that when my whole weight-loss battle is within this blog. Why start somewhere new when the story should follow on the same page as my other struggles. So here I am....reviving my blog once again. This time however, my posts may be shorter since I will need to fit both blogging and uni in come March. I can do this!

So with the New Year on its way and for the first time in 7 rounds of 12WBT I sat out, life has been somewhat different. I have learnt so much from my time with 12WBT and I thank Michelle and the 12WBT team for giving me the tools I needed to go alone. Considering I had spent many a round donating money rather than getting of my butt and #jfdi when it all boils down, Michelle has changed my way of thinking. I may fall off the rails but it certainly isn't as damaging as it could have been. I more so just hover with my weight. I gain a kilo, I lose a kilo.....but I am over the yo-yo dieting and I am ready to actually look and feel good about myself.

I am awaiting the arrival of something new, something apparently amazing and once here I will share with you all my next stage of my journey. I have so much exercise equipment at my disposal here (treadmill, cross trainer, weights) but I am still yet to find that one thing that I enjoy doing. That one thing that I wont mind getting out of bed 30 minutes earlier in order to accomplish. I read back on my blogs from this time last year and I was in a very different head space. I was getting up at 5am to do a 1 hour walk/run. I was actually enjoying it. Then for some reason the little light clicked off and I was back to being a lounge lizard.

NO MORE!!

Its time to take charge of 2013 and make it the year where it all happens. I say that every year but I think this one is different. If I am to be a healthy role model to my children then there is no more saying tomorrow. It starts today! I will do a full stats post up over the next couple of days in order to put my new plan in place. I hope you will all be there to follow me through the highs and lows of my next journey.

You can follow me on facebook now too :) https://www.facebook.com/Cathperko

Mwah! xoxo

Cath

Where have I been and where am I going!

Hey there lovely people!

Its been a week since my first dental work and only 4 days since my last visit. Mind you I am getting sick of having to eat all the runny foods. Its totally not enjoyable at all! I managed some sour dough bread in my soup last night but its still hard to concentrate on chewing when both sides of the mouth are affected and you can only chew with the little amount you have left in the front of your mouth. Pain is getting better and I finally moved off the codeine and onto just regular panadol and nurofen, The codeine did keep the pain at bay for longer though but I prefer to not be on that stuff for too long!

I am still struggling each day to make up the calories needed and seem to sit constantly on around 1000. Making me sad cause I know what the body will do if this keeps up but I am trying. I am however not hungry either so its hard to just keep forcing myself to keep eating when there really seems to be no room left. I even cut back on my protein shakes yesterday but still the same tally and way too much junk food. I even went for some KFC potato and gravy......I hate the stuff and havent been to KFC in years!! I will admit though that it did feel nice to eat something remotely normal for a change! Going to try fish again tonight and maybe some potato/sweet potato mash with it. You dont realise how much you miss food until you cant eat it. 

Those who think that I am in a great position to be losing weight are very wrong. I am in no way happy about having to drink all my meals and I am longing for that chewing action once again. I know I cant rush the healing process and the last thing I want to do is cause further infection in my mouth so just taking it day by day and one step at a time. I am really looking forward to my next visit to the dentist......not getting the last 6 teeth out from the top but to be finally getting my smile back! A few visits to the denture clinic to go before then though.

So we are in the final 2 weeks of 12WBT and for me I have had a tough one. I would say this has been my toughest round yet. You wait though till I get my new smile and new found confidence! I think the world will need to watch out cause Cath is on a mission and that mission is to be heard and to be known. Not just on facebook or on a forum......like really known. The struggle to make friends will be gone as I will no longer have shame and omg the most amazing thing is I cant wait to go out with hubby and just be us again for a little while and not mum and dad. 

This has been a tough bumpy ride but with each round of 12WBT I do, I learn something so big and new about myself. I have come so far since that very first post (which I still have) from my very first round back in 2010 from the 12WBT forums. So much has changed and I have grown from that person who was in a dark corner and felt like I had nothing to live for. I had tears reading that post yesterday as I remembered just how sad and low I was feeling and how the whole world seemed to be caving in on me. I am a long way from that original person and I still have a long way to go but I know that I can get there and finally, I can see the little glimmer of what I think is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Much love to you all

Cath xoxo

Update Time!

Just a quick update for those that have been following along with my teething problems.

Went into the denture clinic on Thursday and had an impression done! Woohoo something has started. Was backed up Friday by a visit to the dentist........

Needless to say 4 teeth out and I am feeling a tad like crap! Still in good spirits though but have more to come out tomorrow. Its all on the trek though to get to a good place as well as being the final piece in my weight loss puzzle.

So I have spent the weekend on protein shakes and anything liquidy although I braved some scrambled eggs and a cup a soup today and about to try a small amount of chicken tonight. I am so hungry and although protein shakes with some flaxseed oil are healthy, id do anything for a juicy steak and salad.....lol.

So thought I would update you all as to why I may have been or may become a little quiet over these last few and coming few days. I am suppose to rest and the medication I am on makes me sleepy and I know the body heals quicker when at rest too.

Take care all and I will keep looking in on you all

Cath xoxo