Last little Update - 2 weeks after the Challenge

My final results are in and I lost (officially on the scans) 10.3kg :D

The F45 8 week challenge was definitely not the easiest thing I've done, but it was one of the simplest.  All I had to do was follow the instructions.  Once I made the decision to commit, I was on the rollercoaster ride for the full 8 weeks.  It wasn't hard to follow the instructions - but at times, it was very, very uncomfortable.  The last 10 days were the worst - but with the finish line within reach, I found the drive to stay strong and end with a bang.  People keep asking if I would do it again - and are surprised when I say no.  I definitely will be keeping eye on the next Challenge recipes; I will be tracking my progress through body scans; I will be drinking warm lemon water and 3L each day; I will continue to train at F45 most days...  But with the tools I have learnt from this Challenge, and the weight I have lost, I don't plan on having the need to follow the Challenge as strictly as I have this time.  I've had amazing results, but I've also learnt how important planning is - I know what a proper meal looks like, I know how to make it.  I have an abundance of snacks ready to go - nuts, protein balls, berry oat cookies.  I know how to make sensible choices, and I know where to find all the things I need to continue living a healthy, positive life.

BOOM!

Oh Lordy I did it!

It's done!  8 weeks!  I MADE IT!

The last week was very difficult - my body was just done.  Every time I went to the gym something hurt - my back, my shoulders, my knees, something.  Every day I had a period of being "starving".  And most afternoons/evenings, I felt nauseous and thought I was going to be sick.

BUT I made it!  I did 8 weeks, solidly, of controlling my eating :)

I have my final body scan this evening but my Monday morning weigh in at home shows this:

73.4kg down from 84.1kg - that's 10.7kg lost!!!!

30.3% body fat down from 39.0% - that's 8.7% down!

The best part - I did the grocery shopping, and wrote out the recommended meal plan.  And then I changed it to fit with my lifestyle!!  I spend Sunday meal prepping SNACKS - and I have planned to cook every night which will account for dinner and the following day's lunch.

Quick Update

Hi team!  

Just a quick check in to say I am still hungry but yesterday managed with just one extra protein ball snack.  I am going to try and start telling people I am not hungry because I wonder if it's a mental thing, but telling people I am hungry I am reinforcing it to myself!

So, I'm not hungry, I'm FINE.  (Well, I actually am right now, it's breakfast time and I need to smash out another 70 squats and drink some water and then go to work).

AND HUSBY WILL BE HOME THIS EVENING!  

Always a good day when he comes home :)

Gym update - Docklands Cardio class last night, and I have to say I think I went a little nuts - After the challenge, I think I am going to try and keep up the commitment I have made to the gym these past 7 weeks.  That's going to 6 classes a week (one a day with Sunday off).  I can't say I give it 100% every single time because I know there have definitely been times when I have slacked off because of sore muscles or general tiredness, but I don't ever turn up and give nothing - and I have seen an improvement in both my strength and cardio, so maybe yeah, I am giving it 95% - 110% every session?

The Home STRETCH

Howdy!  One week to go, one week to go, ONE WEEK TO GO!

My pal Tim wasn't kidding when he said these last two weeks were the hardest.  High Fat Low Carb diet - I am HUNGRY!!  So normally, I do really well with the low blood sugar - I push through the nausea and forget I'm hungry.  Not on this diet - I feel like I am eating just enough to stimulate my cravings, and I am starving!

Firstly, I am definitely eating the 2 snacks per day now.  I've tried it two ways - Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack, Dinner - and Breakfast, early Lunch, Snack, early Dinner, Snack...  This weekend, not so good.  Saturday night I HAD to have an extra protein ball snack... and about 40g smoked salmon... and a teaspoon of butter (yes weird I know, I read that was a good idea on a diet such as this phase).  Sunday night was no better, with the same except the salmon replaced with Parmesan cheese.  

I started vaping again this past weekend, again just the evenings.  I haven't done it for weeks - haven't needed to.  I also managed last week Monday-Friday without it so I'm not too concerned!  Just need to get through these last 7 days...   Had a home weigh-in this morning, 74.7kg and 29.9% body fat - I think my scales weigh about 400g too heavy and 1% too light?  So body fat% is moving really slowly, but I am still losing 1kg+ a week :)  We're sitting in at just over 9kg loss so far, with 1 week to go - the 10kg loss is a REAL thing that could be happening!!

In other news, at the gym last week, Tuesday, after my class, I got a trainer to spot me 4 reps of flat bench dumbell chest press - USING 15kg dumbells!  PB for sure.  Later in the week we had a couple fast-paced chest presses (incline, single arm, normal), and I am solidly on 12.5kgs now so maybe this week I will get the chance to push up to 15kg again.

I also bought some skin-firming cream and have been using it a lot.  I do not have that stretchy skin that some of my family members have, that bounces back - so I was expecting some problems if I lost weight relatively quickly (which I have).  However, I don't seem to have as much as I anticipated - but it can't hurt to use the cream anyway.

I'll leave you with this - again, I know this doesn't actually reflect what's happening on the challenge, but still, pretty good feeling to be consistently in the top ten F45 wide:

Only 2 weeks to go!

Well hello interwebs...

It is now week 7 of the 8 week challenge, and we are into the third and final phase - something about fat stripping, high protein high fat?  I don't know.

Anyway - Malaysia!  I went to Malaysia for 3 whole days!  I made the BEST choices.  I knew I wouldn't be working out, but I managed 120 squats every day :)  I knew I would be eating meals out and at random times, but here's what I had the WHOLE time:

Omelette - with vegies in it

Fresh fruits

Salads with raw/smoked/grilled salmon

Salads with chicken

Water

Japanese style spinach/duck

Edamame

I may have had one small wedge of crumbed camembert... but honestly, that was the first day, and I had had 2 boiled eggs at 5am and nothing until dinner, which was a salad.  I didn't plan that well - I meant to eat when I got off the plane at 12:30 but I was just a bit bamboozled and instead went straight into a business meeting.  My favourite was this place called Pokebear, that do Pokebowls - you choose salad, brown rice or white rice, and then a meat, "sides" (such as edamame, carrot, almonds, etc), sauces (I chose avocado and seasame) and some toppings like spring onion, garlic, shallots, etc.  OH MY GOD IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER!  I had raw salmon and OM NOM NOM.  Oh golly my mouth is watering thinking about it.

The point is, I made AMAZING choices and I really think I can do this long term.  I think I have changed my lifestyle - I take pleasure in different foods now.  So, I got back on Saturday early morning after a bitterly cold flight (seriously, I knew it would be chilly so took a blazer and a hoodie - NOPE, still froze), and I had asked husby to take out the two lots of meat I needed for lunch and dinner.  Even though I slept that day I managed to get right back into the meal plan, and Sunday I did the grocery shopping and meal prep (it has really helped having Monday as a public holiday, but hey).

The one thing I have been a bit naughty about is my snacks.  On Sunday and Monday (today), I skipped afternoon tea.  On Sunday, husby and I had movie night, so I wanted to have something to nibble on.  I had 3 of the 5 lemon protein balls left over from a snack a few weeks ago, so I had those.  Tonight, I was really hungry at 5pm so I had dinner, then later I was a bit nibbly - I had 1/2 of the chocolate coconut protein balls from last week snacks.  So, not really naughty in terms of calorie intake and sensible choices, but yeah, it's not on the meal plan!  I have found those chocolate balls, they satisfy me as much as chocolate does.  They taste REALLY chocolatey, which is awesome.  They are definitely on the list to be making every weekend after the challenge!

Oh - weigh in was this morning.  I don't know how much I trust the scales, but it appears I've lost more than a kg this week, and body fat % has gone down about 1% too (which is great news, considering I didn't work out much, I figured I would lose muscle).  This brings me in for losing 8.2kg so far - over 6 weeks, I have got to be AMAZINGLY HAPPY with that.

These last 2 weeks are going to be fine - I have done the hard work, the breaking and making of habits, the commitment to exercise, the changing of my thoughts, listening to my body more.  Although, I trust myself more now, so I'll have to be careful I don't ease up on myself because I think I'll make good choices!  I will - but I still want to stick to the plan for the next fortnight.  Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy.

Unsolicited Update

Hi crew! (Mum, Hi Mum :) )

just a quick update to say we are now at the end of week 5, and everything is going swell.  Yesterday was the first time I felt like I winged it with the food.  So, I got up in the morning, had my warm lemon water, and went into F45.  Then, I thought it would be a good idea to go grocery shopping quickly - so I had my morning tea in the car (15 raw almonds, om nom nom).  I got home around 10:45am - having not had breakfast.  It was supposed to be oats and a bit of banana - but I wasn't feeling that, so I just had a whole banana.  A few hours later I cooked and ate salmon for lunch, and a few hours after that I prepped half of dinner (but didn't eat it), had half a protein shake for afternoon tea, and went off to a birthday party.  When I came home at about 8:45pm, I finished cooking dinner and it was delicious :)  I am stoked I was able to have a manic day, and still fit in my 3L water, still eat 5 "meals", and more or less follow the meal plan - or adapt it to my life.  The most tempting things at the party for me, despite there being pizza, donuts, crisps, and chocolates - were the nuts and healthy wraps!  Seriously!

When I was at F45 yesterday, we had playoffs.  Playoffs is an intense 10 minute test with 10 exercises, each with a multiplier that gives you an overall score of maximum 1000 points.  Each summer there is a state competition followed by a national competition, where we can compete either individually or in teams of 4.  There's a big 2 storey truck with the exercises set up as a course.  Sometimes we practice that in the studio - like yesterday.  It was my first ever playoffs test, and I did better than I thought - I got a 406 score (with some shortcuts).  Our top athletes are getting about 575, so 406 is pretty good!  Here are my results:

Rower:  225m

Bench Hops:  34

TRX Push up and Knee Tuck:  6 (I had to do these on my knees)

5 cone Lareral Hop:   45

Box jump to burpee:  7

Chin Ups:  10 (I used both a green and purple band)

Bar bell squat press:  15  (5kg+5kg)

Medicine ball russian twist:  39 (4kg ball)

Hurdle Hop:   5  (I hated this one!)

I am sick today.

Last night, after the gym, I came home and smashed out some meals in the kitchen - made breakfast for today, did the salad for today and tomorrow lunch (still need to cook the beef), and made dinner for last night and tonight.

I was really nauseous and I couldn't finish it (lucky I have a dog - he even ate some kale!).

I felt pretty sick the rest of the evening - and then I couldn't sleep, and ended up sleeping in by about 2 hours.  Not feeling well again today...  better, but not 100%.  I'm also lucky I work from home in the mornings, so I can do it in my PJs until I get my shit together! 

I'm not sure if this has anything to do with the challenge.  Perhaps it's just my cooking - very good possibility!  I have been feeling quite worn out lately - working the two jobs, meal prep and grocery shopping, 120 squats and some planking every morning, F45 every evening, Saturdays I switch those around, and Sunday I elaborate on the squats/planking and skip F45.  So I'm not really getting a rest day - because the F45 challenge says you should "exercise to sweat" everyday.  So I am!  Next week I am going to Malaysia for 3 whole days, and maybe that forced break is exactly what I need?

In other news, I should record it here, I have been having some chest pains.  This isn't abnormal, I have had various chest pains for the past 15 years.  A Doctor once told me the stabbing sensations I feel over my heart are most likely my oesophagus having a spaz, not my heart.  So I don't really notice them often.  But I feel like they have gotten worse, or at least I have been noticing them more - not necessarily linked to exercising, but I seem to be exercising a lot so they may be.  I wondered if it was the vaping, but I haven't been doing that at all lately?  I kind of seem to notice them for a couple of days and then forget about them.  I'm also still getting that dreadful anxious feeling at times.  Not bad at all, just sometimes it pops up to remind me I'm still not 100%.  Great :(

Alright, whinge and moan over - I'm back to work!

Good Morning America! (Or Australia)

Hello!

It is Monday 21st May 2018, and I believe it has been a whole WEEK since you've heard from me.  That means we have just started week FIVE of the challenge, meaning that yes, I have had my mid-point body scan.

I'll cut to it shall I?

Overall:                                  84.1kg down to 79.0kg             = 5.1kg loss

Body Fat Percentage:              39.1% down to 32.6%              = 6.5% loss

Skeletal Muscle Mass:             28.2kg up to 29.7kg                  = 1.5kg gain

Pretty Effin Amazing, by all accounts!

This means my last week (week 4) I lost 1.1kg, and explains what was happening in that third week where I didn't lose anything (I was building muscle).

Husby and I went out to the movies on Saturday night in celebration, and I took along my afternoon snack which was protein balls - worked really well!  He supported me by taking snacks from home as well, FOUR bags of beef jerky - but he was kind enough to get the spicy kind, that I don't like.  He then bought Coke (I don't like fizzy drinks) and I got a new Pump water bottle - perfect date night if I do say so myself!

Cravings wise I am totally fine for 90% of the day, but in the evenings, just before bed, far out do I want a burger.  Or a Kiwi Big Breakfast.  Or Crisps.  Basically salt, carbohydrate, meat, fat - that's what I'm all about at 10pm.  I have been putting more and more (Himalayan) salt on my meals, and I don't think that's a bad thing considering I am still not cooking with salt, and clearly my processed food intake has been eliminated in the last month.  I haven't really touched the vaporizer (wait, have I even spoken about this before?  Hold up!).  At the start of the challenge I started vaping - this is inhaling the fumes from burning oils in a little machine.  It is an alternative to smoking cigarettes, which is why we had one (Roger).  We had a variety of oils - including "Grape Hubba Bubba", which has no nicotine in it at all.  I did a bit of research, and basically, vaping hasn't been around long enough and/or there haven't been enough studies to show whether it is good or bad for you.  They do know it is better than smoking cigarettes (but obviously that isn't the comparison I need).  Many women ask whether it is safe to do throughout pregnancy, and the answer is unknown - it isn't NO, but it may not be YES.  There are reports that it isn't carcinogenic, and it doesn't impair lung function.  Anyways, I started vaping - only in the evenings, and not every evening.  Sometimes I would just have 1-2 puffs and it would be enough to curb the cravings.  Sometimes I would hold on to it for a few hours, which is somewhat equivalent to a shisha session (hookah).  What I found is that it really helped me get through that first week and a half, when I was battling with that hand-to-mouth type food addiction.  Since then, I have had a couple of days where I have used it, but for the most part I have gone weeks without using it.  It's great to have there as a back stop - knowing that I have a fail-safe if I give in to my cravings.  Anyway, I'm considering purchasing some of the savory flavoured oils to help with these late night cravings - I'm sure they have bacon!

I just had my Monday morning weigh in, and I am 78.85kg and 31.6% body fat according to my scales.  On Saturday I did a direct comparison between my scales and the body scan, and it seemed like my scales weigh about 400g heavier, and about 1% lower in body fat.  So that's about right, I'm a bit lighter this morning but nothing to write home about.

I spoke to a friend of mine who did the last challenge, asking about the first half versus the second half.  He said the second half was harder, particularly the last 2 weeks where it changes to high protein low carbohydrate.  I'm not too worried about that, but I have changed my 8 week goals.  I am no longer focusing on any real numbers.  My priority is to make it to 8 weeks while maintaining commitment to the meal plans.  I want to be able to say "I had control over what went into my body for 8 weeks".  That will be the real winner for me!  Weight wise, 10kg is looking within reach, but I am just conscious that I am already putting 100% into it, and I know that the 2.7kg loss in week 1 will not be repeated as that was basically a detox phase.  I don't want to put pressure on myself - I expect myself to continue giving it 100%, and if that results in 10kg loss then great, but if I don't lose that much, that's great too.

Frustrated

You know, I'm starting to realise why they discourage frequent weigh - ins.

I've followed the challenge plan to the letter this week, only disruption is sometimes I don't finish my meals if it is too much for me.  I've been to F45 everyday including Saturday, and I exercised on Sunday too.  I have even started doing 140 squats each morning, and a 30 day planking challenge.  (I put this at the opposite end of the day from my F45 class).  Purchased new scales on Saturday, so have weights from Saturday, Sunday, and Monday morning - which is my actual weigh-in day.

If anything, I've put ON weight?!!!  Last week I was 80.1 kg, the readings I have this weekend are 80.3, 80.2, 80.5....  Obviously my scales could be different than the others I have been using, so I am keeping my tracked weight at 80.1kg same as last week.  I did notice my body fat % is 32.2% down from 39.1% at the start of the challenge (3 weeks ago), so I suppose that is very positive.  It is just disheartening that I feel I had a fantastic week, ticking all the boxes on all fronts - sleep, work, exercise, water, meals - and I am absolutely not rewarded for it.

People have said "yeah but muscle weighs more than fat" - this is true, but as I've been lifting weights for a good 18 months now, I don't think that excuse really fits - I can't be building much muscle.  So the last few nights have been full of doubts and temptations - what's the point if it doesn't work??  I am lucky to have a great pal from F45 that is doing the challenge with me, to share my frustrations, and keep me on the straight and narrow.  Thanks Laura :)

My one saving grace is remembering other periods in my life where I have lost weight - I've never been one for the scales, so I am sure I wouldn't have weighed myself more than once every 4 weeks if that - maybe every 6 weeks even!  So, this may be normal for me, I've just never seen it before because I don't check?  With that in mind, Laura and I have agreed to stick to the plan and keep going with the challenge, use the 4 week scan as a good tracking point, see the results at the 8 week scan, and ignore any other measurements that happen throughout.  I guess I just have to trust in the programme and keep going.  Easier said than done!

Beautiful Tuesday

Hi!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've stepped into being a busy bee so not much time for blogging.  One of the dumbest things about this challenge is the MASS amount of time you spend preparing meals, and then wasting the excess food from half opened packets.  For example, this week, I have the same breakfast twice - which is 1 slice of gluten free bread, with a concoction of peanut butter/cacao powder/protein powder/cinnamon on it.  So, TWO slices of bread in the week.  What happens to the rest of the loaf?  Luckily I don't mind frozen bread (unlike SOME people), but there are other instances of this also.  My dog likes smoked salmon, which is good, because last week I used 50g out of 225g.

In other news I weighed myself yesterday evening as I have changed my gym schedule to be after work now.  In all honesty, I was disappointed I only lost 1.3kg last week.  The first two weeks of the challenge are supposedly where you lose the most, and although I've lost 4kg since I started, I'm expecting my losses to be much less in the next 4 weeks of the challenge, so I'm concerned about how that is tracking for the remaining 6 weeks.  My secret goal of 12kg over the 8 weeks looks far away (8kg in 6 weeks), and my realistic goal of 10kg over the 8 weeks is looking sketchy (6kg in 6 weeks).

Nevertheless, I'm still determined to stick to the plan and continue.  Even losing 4kg is better than a kick in the teeth!

The Return of the Husband

Hello again!

Yesterday morning I collected my husby from the airport.  He's back for a few days - so I was interested to see how challenging or not the challenge is for me while he is here.  Hard to say so far - I enjoy the extra help in the kitchen (he is the main cook), and I enjoy having someone to talk to which takes my mind off eating.  However, I don't like him offering me a taste of a Dorito Shape, or the open packet of Toffee Pops next to the bed.

It's not too bad, this is my journey and there is temptation around every corner, I can handle it.

In other news I had a nightmare last night - I was back home in Rotoma, and we all sat down to lunch in the old dining room.  Afterwards, I was doing the dishes, and I realized I HAD NOT FOLLOWED THE MEAL PLAN!  It was a TERRIBLE feeling - my fears come true - absentmindedly falling off the wagon.

I have decided to weigh myself every Monday.  I am not looking forward to my weigh in this coming Monday - I know I won't have lost near the 2.7kg I did last week, and I don't want to be disappointed.  The fact is, over the 8 weeks, I know there are going to be some weeks where I lose hardly anything.  And that's okay - although I have a weight loss target, my real goal is to sticking to the meal plan for the whole 8 weeks.  I'm already making a list of things I want to eat after the challenge, but check out the types of things on it:

• turkey stir-fry
• soft shell taco's made with coconut flour
• more black rice
• ALMOND BUTTER AND CARROT STICKS ZZZZOMG!!!!
• buddha bowls
• green smoothies!
• stuff with rice malt syrup!

(Note that broccoli frittata doesn't make an appearance).

Also, we had Bears at F45 today.  18 exercises, 2 sets at each, 35 and 55 seconds.  There was a point during, where I was almost crying, and I imagined Mel looking at me and asking if I was okay, and that made me laugh.  Because yes, I was okay, just pushing my limits :)

Just Saying...

MY TURKEY & VEGETABLE STIRFRY TASTES AMAZING!!!!!  Nailed it.

Happy Monday Everyone!

I am trucking on.  Weekend was good, I managed to get all the shopping done (amidst toilet breaks), and prep 3 different meals for the week.  Broccoli Frittata, Chicken and black rice, and turkey stirfry.  Well, my rice took FOREVER to cook, and my dog Dozer enjoyed the nice meat scraps, but I managed to pull together the meat dishes.  

Where I really shone was the broccoli frittata - firstly, I should have listened to my long-suffering husband and cut the broccoli into small small small pieces.  Next, the recipe said "add the olive oil to the eggs and mix" but failed to mention olive oil in the ingredients list, so I just added a splash.  Then the pan was too large.  Lastly, I trusted my judgement of my gas oven (I always have to leave things in there longer), and overcooked the frittata.

So it's brown, dry, stodgy, and just average. 

Nevertheless, I will eat it, and I will pretend to enjoy it.

Fast forward to today - wake up, lemon warm water, vanilla strawberry breakfast smoothie, and off to the gym.  Varsity class today - and I went hard.  AND THEN I weighed myself - 81.4kg!  I may have been a bit dehydrated because I'd just done a class, but still, that's 2.7kg lost in a week!  After a shower, I had the first portion of the famous broccoli frittata.   Mmmm MMMM!  Just kidding, it was shit.  I ate it though.

We're on track.

Apparently this blogging is an (almost) daily thing now...

HIIII!!!!!

Here we are at day 5 of the challenge, day 5 of the 56 days - so when today is through that's 8.9% of the way through the challenge.  Hmmmm - I was just doing some quick math (fire in the booth) for fun but when I see it like that, it's pretty amazing!  

Bullet points today.

NEGATIVES (writing them first as I want to end on a positive):

• having to pee every 10 minutes from all the water I am drinking
• Am hoping this will dissipate, but from previous experience, I don't think it will
• peeing aside, having undesirable toilet visits - more frequently and more...  liquidy than I would like.  
• I am also getting some stomach cramps sometimes, and a weeny bit of indigestion
• I am pretty much like this in the mornings anyway, it's just prolonged and worse now
• I am really hoping that this settles down as my body detoxes
• big breakfasts before the 9:15am F45 session
• this morning I overslept and had breakfast at 7:45am - rebooked my session for the 4:15pm one
• have to say though, yesterday had salmon for breakfast about 7:15am and was worried the gym would be sketchy - it was okay!
• no after dinner snacks - my prime snacking time!
• a couple of times I have skipped afternoon tea, had an early dinner (5:30-6pm), and had afternoon tea in the evenings around 8:30pm
• I've now got green tea to use as well
• STRESSING (prematurely) about going out of the country for 3-4 days in week 6 of the programme - what AM I going to eat?

POSITIVES

• I seem to be giving more at the gym sessions, or at least being more focused.  I feel more focused anyway!
• I guess I am learning to cook some new things.  Some of them are pretty tasty.  Some of them, well, lucky I am committed to the meal plan!
• I am being forced to be organised with meals - which is exactly my past pitfalls.  This week I didn't do any meal prep, but I have plans to do plenty this weekend and perhaps even during the week next week
• Plenty of time spent on xbox play Elder Scrolls :D
• Plenty of time with my dog, playing inside and outside
• I truly believe I am breaking an eating addiction.  The desires to put stuff in my mouth (particularly in the afternoons/evenings) are strong, even when I am full.  I'm shocked that I feel I need to be mentally alert at all times, because I may just find myself in front of the pantry or fridge stuffing my face - basically subconsciously.
• My anxiety is getting better (well, I feel it has been much worse since deciding to start the challenge on Saturday last week, but it has been getting better each day I think as I prove I am doing it).
• I'm bloody WINNING!

Day four - things are really heating up

Hi ya'll

Today is Thursday, and I have now had 3 perfect days (two work days and a public holiday).  Woohoo!  

I'm feeling, well, average.  Not great, not bad.  I had salmon for breakfast at 7:45am and I wasn't looking forward to the F45 class at 9:15 - but it actually wasn't bad.  Then I went to the supermarket to buy some chicken for tonight because I can't find it in the freezer at home - whoopsies.  While I was there, I have to say I wasn't tempted to buy other things!  The only aisle I purposely avoided, and I think that was wise, was the chip aisle.  Enough said.

I did allow myself to purchase 2 items (40% off, come on!) of make up and a new pen for work - but I also stopped myself from buying hair conditioner and other toiletries and stationery because I can see how using this as a substitute could get expensive!

Gym today, I don't feel impressed with my training.  We had 2 sets of each station, and I was paired with a new girl.  I did go up in weights and didn't do too bad, but I feel I was more focused on being in the right place at the right time than my weights - it's good when I have a regular partner and I can gauge what I am doing off of their weights - like some people I know I can lift slightly heavier than, some the same, some slightly less.  There were also a couple of stations today where we did one set one side, the second set the other side - and I went too light the first set, and me being all OCD and wanting it to be even meant I couldn't increase on the second set.

It's another somewhat gloomy day outside - and I think I got some make up in my eyeball - and I am procrastinating from doing actual work.  

Like Nike says, JUST DO IT.

Day two and counting!

Well it was a fresh morning today as I got up at 5am to take my lovely husband to the airport - it's Fly Out Day.  Of course, I had my warm lemon water, and I have to add that there were minimal tears at the farewell.  Then I went straight up to F45 to catch the 6:45am class - weights today.  I had thought that I don't have to change anything in the studio, but I went hard yesterday and I lifted heavy today, so I must just be putting in the extra effort.  Hope it pays off!

Might be a good place for me to record my "athletic" achievements too - won't make for good reading but gotta put it somewhere:

1)    Flat-bench flys - I'm at 9kg dumbells, but these are a struggle to get the form right and sometimes I am bending my arms too much just to push it up in more of a chest press, and a couple of times I even drop one or both of them when I extend too far back.

2)    Ab roll outs - still can't do these, and my back hurts :(

3)    Upright rows - popping that 20kg, either kettlebell or barbell

4)    Deadlifts - 40kg barbell :)

5)   Flat-bench chest press - 12.5kg dumbells, or sometimes 10kg if it is one handed, incline, time-delayed or pulsed

6)    Overhead shoulder press - 8kg kettlebells (x2) with squat.  9kg dumbells (x2) with bicep curl - just

When I got home I cooked 2 eggs and had them with some salmon and baby spinach - and now it is time for avocado and cucumber.  I am stoked that I don't have to cook lunch or dinner today, it's leftovers!

In the last few days, I have said that this challenge is going to be easy for me.  I was wrong (this is becoming a habit!!)  - I meant that it is SIMPLE for me, all I have to do is follow the instructions.  NOT EASY.  Mel says my body will be going through withdrawals, from the lack of carbs and sugars.  Last night, from  afternoon tea onwards things got really hard.  I just wanted to put food in my mouth!  I definitely wasn't hungry, but I wanted to munch on stuff.  I made it through with a perfect score, proving this is just a mind game.  I can do this.

Hello World

Hi!  I didn't die, I just stopped blogging.   Clearly, as 5 years have gone by, some things have changed.  The reason for this new blog post?  Weight loss. Today I started the 8 week challenge with F45, and my trainer, Mel, seems to think it would be good if I blogged about how I feel.  So here goes... 

I was sitting on the fence about whether or not to do the challenge.  I've been coming to F45 for a good 18 months, and I haven't weighed myself in that long, so I have no idea what I weigh.   I know I've put on weight, maybe about 5-6 kg I would guess.  WRONG!  My first ever body scan on Saturday was fine at the time, but as I reflected on it later that day I realised I am now 84kg.  That is almost back to where I was before I discovered HIIT and lost my first bit of weight in the UK.   According to the scan, I have a whopping 18kg to lose to get to my ideal weight of 66.5kg.  Personally, I'd just be happy to get back to that happy range of 70-75kg.  I spent the weekend preparing for the first week of the challenge - grocery shopping, making sure I had an appropriate outfit for the before photos, saving PDF's of the recipes, drinking any open bottles of wine... :D 

Today, it took me half an hour to make the green smoothie for breakfast, but I did it.  I've got my chicken and turkey out ready to cook for lunch and dinner, and I've had my celery and peanut butter morning tea.  I've gone into the studio and I worked my butt off at Pipeline - and I've modelled my "before" body for Mel.  So far, so good.

The overwhelming emotion is fear.  Man, am I scared.  Terrified.  Just of failing, which is stupid because who cares?  I would just try again if that happens.  And I'm set up for success:  I have a good track record, I have good exercise habits, I've got the water and the supplements and everything down - all I need to do is follow the instructions regarding meal plans and I'm golden.  Yet, my stomach is tied up in anxious knots, and I'm close to tears when I take a second to stop and think.

No thinking - just do.  Autopilot :)