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Have you ever felt truly comfortable? You know that feeling when you snuggle under the doona and drift away to dreamland?

It is easy sometimes to get that way in life, to get into your comfortable groove and drift through your days. Feeling safe and secure is of course important but there is a difference between being safe and cocooning yourself. To never challenge yourself to more forward and experience new horizons. Just as there is a difference between still and stagnant water:
“still is not moving; calm while stagnant is lacking freshness, motion, flow, progress, or change; stale; motionless; still.”

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So I figured that  should update you lovely people on my progress so far.  And I am pleased to say that things are going pretty well.

Since I last filled you in, some big things occurred which threatened to upset the apple cart.  Sydney had huge storms – “thunderbolts and lightning, very very frightening” (sorry, couldn’t help myself, huge Queen fan).  There were trees down everywhere and we actually lost power for 6 days.  Needless to say, this did mess things up somewhat.  There was one day when we couldn’t leave the house at all due to the huge tree that came down across our driveway and the entire road and the live power lines down everywhere.  And the continuing storms meant that it was actually dangerous to be out on the roads, let alone exercising outdoors.  And of course, no electricity means no fridges and being very restricted with food and cooking.

I think the worst was the disruption to my sleeping patterns.  Once it got dark and cold, it was very easy just fall asleep very early and then wake up in the middle of the night, unable to go back to sleep, especially when they started coming in to run chainsaws at 1am.  I was actually sitting on the steps at 1.30am watching the workmen in a cherry picker putting a power pole back up when I was unable to sleep.

One positive thing did happen however.   I realised that my gym had hot showers and so the very next morning packed myself off to the gym for a workout and a glorious hot 20 minute shower.  I have never been so excited to go the gym in my life.

Anyway, life returns to normal, and I have gone back to my new regime and I am pleased to say that I have lost almost 3 kilos so far! I feel much more motivated to keep it going as I am actually seeing some results. So onto another week, will be back to report soon, have a good one 🙂

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So, I know I said in my last post that I had one week to go on the current round of 12WBT, but I had a think about it and I decided that since things really weren’t working for me, I would ditch the final week and move into my new regime.

For these first few weeks, I am going to follow the Bodytrim program.  I have used this before and it is not my favourite, but it does get immediate results and I really need that confidence boost right now. Bodytrim is a high protein/low carb program.  The first three days are protein only (they call this a carb detox).  You then move into the weight loss phase which allows protein and a starch or fruit for breakfast, protein and salad for lunch and protein and veges/salad for dinner.  You also have 3 protein snacks during the day and try to space these meals to every 3 hours – the idea being that  you keep the metabolism firing with several small evenly spaced meals.  You are also expected to do at least 10000 steps per day.   Anyway, I am almost through the first protein only day and I have done my 10000 steps (this equates to about a 6.6km walk – which if you saw the hideous weather in Sydney today is no mean feat). The weather is so awful, I keep checking to see if the animals are lining up to by two…..

For me, it is not so much about the program right now, but about developing consistency in my habits again.  I simply got out of the habit and I needed to shake things up.  I think part of the problem was that I stopped learning the lessons in 12WBT.  I had heard all the videos through so many rounds that I didn’t want to repeat them over again.  It’s like those days when I was a kid and watched the Brady Bunch so many times, that I was able to identify the episode simply by watching the opening scene.  By the way, I always wanted to be Marsha 🙂

You get to the point where you stop making the time and little by little you stop engaging with the program in the way it was intended to operate.  I still think it is a great program, but for me right now, I just need a new direction.

And so the new adventure begins………..

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Well, it has been a long time.  Where do I start?  All I can say is that things have not been going according to the plan, as you can probably work out, this being a weight loss and fitness blog.  In fact, over the last few months, I have watched my weight going up and it does feel like the brakes have failed on the car and I am about to go over the cliff.

So what has prompted this complete breakdown of the plan? Well, blowing out my knee during the Mud Run in December did not help.  For the first few weeks, I could barely hobble through my day and the concept of my regular exercise was simply out of the question.  It took 2 months for the knee to come good and it was tricky finding a new exercise routine where the knee both felt supported and improved.  I found that swimming laps turned out to be the thing – after the first swim the knee started to loosen up and move more freely.

But I can’t blame my injury for the fact that weight is now higher than it was when I originally signed up for 12WBT 3 years ago.  Yes, it was a contributing factor initially, but the fact is that during my forced hiatus, I simply got out of the exercise habit.  And then when I was able to exercise normally again, it was too easy to put the exercise genie back in the lamp and stick the lamp at the back of the shelf collecting dust.

I have also been allowing more crap back into my diet – you can allow yourself the occasional treat when you are doing the exercise to compensate, but when you are not moving and putting more in your mouth, then things are not going to go well.  Calories in versus calories out – moving more than you eat. But now I know that it is time for action – I hate the numbers on the scale, the fact that my clothes don’t fit  and that all my hard work over the past three years has evaporated.

So to that end, I am taking action.  I have one week left on the current round of 12WBT, but I have decided not to sign up for the next round.  I love the program, but I have been doing it for three years now and I feel that I need to shake things up. My body is used to the eating plans and I think I need to move in a different direction for a time at least.  I am pulling a few of my old books off the shelf and following their eating plans for a while.  And of course I am getting back on the exercise bandwagon properly – walking at least 5 days a week and yoga on the weekend, and some time in the gym with the weights to get my resistance training back on par.  I must admit that looking in the mirror at the moment, I have gone from toned and fit to looking like I have melted in the middle, so that needs to change immediately.

So, what am I waiting for? The sun is shining and it time to get my shoes on and my butt into action….

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The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 770 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 13 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

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I have an ear worm.  For those who are unaware, an ear worm is one of those songs that get into your head when you hear them and you keep singing it all day…usually very irritating and only going away when another ear worm replaces it (think Abba’s “Mamma Mia” followed by Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” ….or is that just me?) For me at the moment it is Justice Crew’s “Que Sera”.  Our students at school are performing this song for their presentation day tomorrow, so needless to we have all heard the song endless times over the last few weeks.

But I am not annoyed by this particular ear worm.  In fact, I really like the song and was responsible for suggesting to the music therapist as a possibility for the event.  I liked the song and had it on my exercise playlist before it was the song of choice for school.  It is a really catchy song and the lyrics are really positive.  The gist of the song is that some days work well and other days are crap and we need to embrace both and move on with the help of those around “at the end of the day, some you win, some you don’t, so I’m glad that I’m here with some friends that I know, always there with a smile saying you’re not alone, singing la la la la que sera”.  I am sure that the “la la la la” is very important. 🙂

But this is very true.  We all have times where we win and others where it is not so much.  The literal translation is “what will be, will be” (yes, just like the Doris Day song 🙂 )

 The sooner we accept that life has it’s ups and downs and that we need to learn to roll with the punches and accept the support of those around us, the more successful we become and the more we grow.  Dwelling on our failures/hard times does not lead to personal growth and success.  It is on taking those experiences and deciding to accept the lessons and make the changes necessary that we move onward and upward.

Excuse me, but another ear worm is beginning to take hold….the “Subway” ad has just played and I have an overriding urge to sing “Geronimo”…..onto my next adventure 🙂 Bombs away……

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So I am now into week 2 of the next round 12WBT and so far so good, the scales are moving and I am following the program.   I was just revisiting my pre-season goals and happily, I can report that I have achieved my one month goal, which was to lose at least two kilos from the date I set the goal.  I have so far lost 3.3 kilos since I set that goal and it feels really good to be moving back in the right direction. So I am now readjusting that one month goal to lose 3 kilos by the end of November.

As for the next goal, it was a 3 month goal.  I am aiming to be under the magic 70 kilo mark by Christmas, to complete the Mud Run and the Santa Fun Run.  I am off to a great start, I am signed up for both runs and the scale and I are currently in agreement – I will do what I have to do and it will keep moving in the downward direction.  At this stage, with almost two months to go before Christmas, the weight loss seems doable. I just have to keep plugging along the path.

Something that is emphasised in 12WBT is the need to set SMART goals. Goals need to be able to be measured and realistic before you can ever visualise achieving them.  They also need to be revisited and readjusted regularly to make sure that you are in fact moving in the right direction and to set new goals as the old marks are passed.

I kind of see it like one of my long walks.  Sometimes, the everything comes together and you just seem to sail past all the landmarks, but at other times, it gets really tough and you just get through by moving from light post to light post.  That’s why it is important to check in on those goals regularly and see how you are moving.  If the top of the hill seems too far away, then maybe you need to set an interim goal that will get you halfway up where you can regroup and take on the next part of the climb.  After all, no kindergarten child expects to write an essay by the end of their first week of school, but they might well be working on writing their name. On the other hand, if you are over the hill and far away before you even realised you were there, then maybe you need to make your goal a little more challenging – after all, it is a goal for a reason.

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So I have learnt a few little lessons this week that I would like to share with the class:

 1.Trying to complete a 27km walk on a 34 degree (celsius) day is not a good idea:

Last Sunday was the 7 Bridges Walk.  This is the third year that I have signed on for this and apart from the horrible hill about 20km in at Hunters Hill, it is always a really nice day.  This year, I was anticipating no different.  At about 7.30am on Sunday, my stepfather came downstairs and informed me that I had to get ready and go straight way, because the weather report said that Sydney would be sweltering under 34 degrees and I should start the event as early as possible.This should have been my first clue.  I rushed and was dropped off at Milsons Point about half an hour earlier than originally planned. Then I had to wait about 20 minutes in a queue to register and didn’t get underway until about 9.20am.  The first 10km was not too bad, but then the heat kicked in, and by the time I reached the Gladesville Bridge, it was horrible.  It was hot, everything was sweaty and I was chafing in all kinds of unpleasant places.  By the time I finished the Figtree Bridge ( the final bridge), I was done.  I finished 17.5km and threw in the towel.  So, do not attempt to walk this distance in this kind of heat – I have done it and do not recommend the experience.

2.The camera does not lie and avoiding the pic does not change the facts:

For the last few 12WBT rounds, I have avoided the “before” bikini pic.  This round, I decided to man up and take the pic and I am here to say, the few kilos does not make for a pretty picture.  But the upside of this is that I have now faced the facts and am determined to change the picture. And no, I am not posting the picture here, I am all for full disclosure, but NO.

3.Following the rules works:

All I can say, is that I have kept to my calories and the scales have moved down over a kilo and half since Monday – calories in versus calories out, who knew?

4.  Accentuate the positive:

There is absolutely no point in dwelling on negative things.  I could beat myself up for not finishing the walk and be down on myself for gaining a few kilos, but what would that achieve? All I can do is move forward and change my outcomes for the future.  It does not help me to focus on the less positive things, all I can do is to look ahead and work towards the future……and much more attractive bikini selfie in 12 weeks 🙂

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So here’s the update on what has been going on since my post earlier this week.  Exercise has been going very well – I have walked every day this week for at least an hour.  The weather has been mostly perfect for outdoor exercise this week, except for Wednesday when I watched rain clouds rolling in from the beginning of my walk and just when I was lulled into a false sense of security that the weather would, the rain came down for the last 3kms of my walk – lucky it was not a heavy shower, just a little heavier than a sprinkle really.

My food has been going well too. I seem to have got myself back into a better routine and I am already seeing the results on the scale. I have been aiming at a 500 calorie deficit each day and have been pretty successful with that.

I was browsing one of the many online shopping offers that I regularly receive the other week and noticed a book called “The Pointless Book” which basically challenges the reader to take on a series of tasks/challenges from the book.  It came from the PointlessBlog on youtube.  The clip below is not the original, but someone else completing some of the challenges in the book:

The reader is encouraged to perform each task in a random order, so here is my first task: to write down my favourite quote and the author.  I have two: the first I used to hear from a radio announcer, Mark Kennedy as his sign off each afternoon – “Aim for the impossible to achieve the extraordinary”, and the second comes from Buzz Lightyear and Toy Story “To infinity and beyond!”  I guess they both flow along a similar theme.  Woody has been questioning Buzz’s ability to fly, so Buzz climbs to the end of the bed and launches himself into a successful flight.  He has faith in himself and achieves what should have been impossible.  He does not allow anyone, including himself to doubt what he can do, he just does it.

It is like the theory of the bumble bee – aerodynamically, a bumble bee should not be able to fly.  The bumble bee doesn’t know this theory and flies anyway.

When you allow yourself to do things rather than listening to the doubters, you can achieve amazing things, it is all about having faith that you can do it. And on that note, it’s time to fly 🙂

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Excuse me whilst I fight my way through all the dust and cobwebs around here.  It has been a long time since I have updated you on the goings on in my world, so here goes.

It is fun run season, and I started a little earlier than usual this year in July with the Stadium Stomp.  The Stadium Stomp was a new event this year and involved climbing a total of 6400 steps in the SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground for the non-Aussies reading this) and Allianz Stadium.  It was a real challenge – the SCG has been around a long time and new stands have been added over the years, so no two sections of steps are the same height, width or gradient.  Allianz Stadium is much newer and so all the steps are pretty uniform.  I completed it in 1 hour and 18 minutes and I really enjoyed the event.  My calves were not nearly so enthusiastic….

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And because I always like to show proof of workout here are my Stadium Stomp pics:

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Next was the Pub To Pub in August:

and the Bridge Run in September (see if you can find me in the crowd running over the finish – pink hat, orange singlet and pink shorts – it’s like “Where’s Wally” 🙂 )

http://streaming3.marathon-photos.com/video/Sports/2014/Blackmores%20Sydney%20Running%20Festival/AF-Fam.mp4?start=8774&end=8801

Coming up, I have the 7 Bridges Walk, a 27km walk over 7 of Sydney’s bridges in October and then in December, the Mud Run (costume to be revealed in a later post ) and the Santa Fun Run.  I also want to sign up for the Color Run in February and I saw the Rebel Run, another Sydney fun run, advertised today, which will be run in early November.  These Fun Run things are a little addictive once you get the bug.  I love the challenge and the sense of community for each of these events. And to jog your memory, here is what I looked like completing the Mud Run last year:

On the weight loss front, things have not been going so well.  I kind of got off track in July and August and so I am slowly finding my way back.  It’s funny how you know all the rules and what you need to do to reach your goals, and still you can lose your way really easily.  Losing sight of that clear plan – for me, a few lazy takeaways, a couple of extra vinos here and there and a month of rain all combined to send me off in a direction that I didn’t want to go..now I am getting back to the path and things should start to improve. Watch this space….

Anyway, no journey is perfect and mine certainly hasn’t been.  But one thing I tell my school students is that it is alright to make mistakes, because that is how we learn.  My yoga teacher tells us that there is no point doing the things that you can do perfectly because you will never see changes.  It is in the things that we find challenging that we create the best results and the inspiration to push ourselves further.  Cheers for now 🙂