Monday-itis or isn't it! - Mon 25 June

Well it's Monday (again) how did that happen and it's a slow start to the week let me tell you!!!

Firstly I got out of bed before stopping to think about the ankle injury that was and a little twist in the wrong direction and I felt it!  So I'm thinking Body Step is out of the game plan for today... Then my daugther is complaining of a sore back and saying she won't get out of bed and no amount of pushing and pulling was getting her to move so in bed she stayed.   I guess for me it was the 'phew, somethings come up and now I don't have to go to the gym and try to work around my injury'.  I am feeling the message from Mish's video last night LOL.

I guess if I wasn't here she would probably be at school right now because the last time I was in Melbourne I missed a school day and she was complaining of a sore shoulder and my husband still dragged her out of bed and got her dressed and got her to school - late but still he got her there.  He had to go to work and nothing was getting in his way.  

I really admire his work ethic he always is willing to give 110% to the work projects that come along and for us as family his new working environment has been a blessing because there is less stress and more flexability.  I guess the fact that I am not officially working means I am a softy at heart and will seem to take the easy option when it comes to the children and say that's ok your sick / unwell / injured stay home - but then that get's me thinking am I self sabotaging myself by making road blocks that just don't need to be there?

I have however made a plan and a pact with myself that today and tomorrow is going to be 'clean eating' because if I can't move it then I still need to 'loose it' and so Mish said that nutrition is 80% of the game so that's the part I'm going to focus on winning!

I have a number in mind which is 88.8 which is my next mini goal and as of last wednesday's weigh in I was only 900gms away from that.  Of course this morning I had a sneaky peak on the scales (because that's just what you do) and I now am only 600gms away so it's very achievable!

Thinking a trip to the pool to do some swimming and other non weigh bearing exercises are in mind and then I have the Zumba DVD box set which I bought early this year and have finally opened to have a look so even if I put on the music and give the toning sticks a go to do some upperbody work.

Ideally I'd love to be at the gym to work on the machines but for right now that's not going to happen.  Maybe tonight when hubby gets home from work however that's probably another story all on it's own and is going to take a WHOLE lot of JFDI I can feel it now!!!

Zumba Masterclass - Sat 23 June

I love Masterclasses I get to watch people who seem to effortlessly be able to zumba while it seem's I'm still learning to walk (so to speak) LOL.

Saturday night's Masterclass was really good with Maria Teresa Stone - she travels all around training and doing Masterclasses and I really wished that she would have done a Basic 1 when she was here but it wasn't to be and probably a good thing as I've got a stuffed ankle right now.

The masterclass I was going to - injured or not even just to sit in the corner and watch as it's really amazing how you get inspired and just to see how passionately they are about what they do.  I was able to do some basic moves but a lot of the twisitng and turning I just couldn't do and one song I stepped to the side because I looked like a right royal idiot when EVERYONE else was turning to the side or doing a full spin and I'm just standing there!  

I lasted nearly the whole class which was 90 minutes long and you know it goes SO fast! I burnt 569 calories which I'm sure some of was more me flapping my arms around and wiggling my hips cause I sure wasn't moving my feet much still I had a good time.

I remember seeing a lot of people sweating so much and I thought wow they really do put their all into it, so I'm going to watch some video's and dvd's over the next week to see how I can pick up on my technique.

I think the only thing missing from this event was the fact that I didn't have any Zumba gear but it's a goal that I'm working towards.  I keep drooling at everything that's out there!!!! One day soon I will be decked out in Zumba Gear!!!

Towards the end I went hmm my ankle isn't sore any more and so I took that as the opportunity to sit down because I realised that I would probably push myself too far if I kept going.  I took some nurofen before I left as my ankle was really throbbing.  Oh the things we do for fitness.

I remember watching medical shows on tv and seeing people come back with their knee's busted beyond repair and the doc saying - see I told you not to go and now you will never play ball again and I think I don't need that to be me!  What will I do if I can never Zumba again? LOL.  It's not really that bad but I think as I've said on facebook I might have to invite wheelchair Zumba - someone said they already have it's called 'Zumba Gold' - cheeky man - that's for older people and beginners who want basic steps to learn!

 I borrowed this picture from my friend Dave as he has a great camera mine isn't the best at night time and I put this here because it has a picture of my back and although it doesn't seem all that impressive I think 'finally I don't look fat from behind' if that makes any sence LOL.  Although I'm wearing a looser top still I will take any photo where I think I look good!

Injured - AGAIN!!!??? - Friday 22 June

You know what my life is never boring!!!  Here I was thinking I was having such a great week.

Yesterday (thursday) the weather was so horrible but against all odds I still made it to my regular Zumba class and then had a session with my PT from the one I missed last week it was a great session I got to learn how to active my gluts - I'm sure they are in there somewhere....) So more of an antomy lesson for me too!

So Friday I'm super pumped and ready to rip into my regular Zumba because yesterday I got told that I'm not engaged in some of my movements.  That really upset me as I love Zumba but I can't do some of the moves very quickly or very good and the place I go to they ar professional ballroom teachers so of course they are good at what they do.  So I figure right I'm at the gym, on a carpet floor which I really like I've got one of my fav instructors and I'm detemined to have a great session.

I'm even jumping up and down in some of the songs where I normally don't and I can see myself in the mirrow and I'm really getting into it and having a great time and then....

BANG - over on my ankle I went.....  We were doing star jumps and it was my last one and I obviously didn't pick my foot up just enough and it caught on the side of the carpet and it rolled outwards luckily my body action was that I was about to start coming 'inwards' for the jack so I quickly put all my weight on my other leg to restraighten my ankle but too late - OUCH!!!! I am not sure of what I've done but all I know is that I need ice and I need it now and it's really starting to hurt.  It's also pretty scarey as it's hurting differently from the last time that I 'rolled it'.

I call up the physio and at first was told that there are no appointments for the next 3 days - oh I just want to cry so I go on the cancellation list.  It's really starting to get painful and so I just want to get home and rest it.  Luckily just as I was heading home I got a call and I can get into a cancelled appointment in 3 hours time - phew I'll take it.

The physio thinks that I favour my right ankle as it's the only one I damage LOL - I say I just wanted to come and visit everyone really ... I try to make light of a situation and pray that he doesn't tell me how many weeks I should be 'out of action for'.  Surprisingly there isn't much swelling or bruising to the joint.  I seem to have squased the inside of the muscles in my foot and not pulled and stretched the outside of it like a 'rolled' ankle normally is.

I am grateful that it's not as bad as first thought but it's quite sore.  I have to keep moving on it though just lightly and of course have some rehab exercises to do over the next week and then go back for a review!

You know what there are roadblocks on the 12wbt journey and then there's just ME! LOL

Weigh In - WOO HOO!!!! Wed 20 June

WOO HOO!  How exciting!  This weigh in brings a 2.4kg loss.  SUPER EXCITED BY THAT!!!!

I'm hoping it a combo of everything, the hard work I put in before my back went, the fact that I ate clean and proabbly also the little prayer's I sent up to the weight loss gods! LOL

Yesterday I had an event which took me away from the gym nearly all day so that put a damper in my day I still got to my evening Zumba classes thank god because I needed those extra  smashing of calories!!!!

Tonight (wednesday) was also great at Zumba because I did 750 calories.  I think in this class it's great because they turn out the lights so you can't really see yourself in the mirrors so you work a lot harder, they have the mirror ball going and some more groovier music.  Also this week they introduced a few new songs which were a lot more jump and jive than previous weeks so I certainly got my workout tonight!

Very happy with myself - onwards and upwards!!!!

Caution - Monday 18 June

Today I am acting as if I am 'walking on egg shell's' - not really but I'm just using caution with my back and hoping not to re-injury myself!

I decided not to do the traditional monday step class as I didn't think that movement would be best for my back so I did the straight and strong which was just a lower impact of Body Attack and just hung back in the corner.  I must have looked like a total unco and I only just got in the class as it was starting the warm up so I couldn't even have word with the instructor to say 'I'm not being unco I'm just using caution'.  I did speak to her at the end though and she said she figured something was up because she knows me and that I have the ability and choose the right low impact options so yay for me!

After that I decided to do Aero-Sculpt because it's basically a toning class and I thought that I can do mostly.  However this class she decided to use a lot of the fit balls which started pulling on my upper back which I was worried would upset my lower back so I put the fitball down and still did what I could.   I still did the weight toning of my arms and also some of the crunches as it helped to stretch out my back but I wasn't as gung-ho as what I normally would be.

It felt good to still move around and in the evening I still did my 7pm Zumba class by then by back was still a little sore but I enjoyed it. 

Sciatica! Ouch!!!! Sunday 17 June

For the past few days I have been chair bound by this horrible Sciatica pain.  It started on Thursday morning as a slight niggling in my back but I still went to Zumba as usual hoping that it would loosen it up however it didn't work and although I realise that there is 'robot' mode in 12wbt I'm sure it's the mindset part of it NOT the actual 'dance like a robot' because limited moves was about all I could do today. 

So I had to cancel my PT session that I had today which was ok because I honestly have no guilts about it - I can't even move it's not like I'm just being a chicken.  My PT said I did the right thing too because once your back goes there is very little you can do in other areas of the body it's all connected so that's good - I wouldn't want to injury myself further!

Sciatica is painful for me and yet apparently funny all at the same time.  It kicks in and out and although you think at times yep I feel alright then you will take a step and then bang down you go.  I laugh when I'm in pain at times so I was there going ouch... *laugh laugh - it's not funny... while my husband just stands there smiling at me..... LOL

The pain is also not specific to one part of the body, although it niggles in my back it seems to hang around my gluts and then down the back of my leg, sometimes shooting down my knee to the back and then even sometimes a twang or two in my shin - NOT fun at all!

I went to the Chiro thursday 4pm hoping that it would settle down and I knew that it would take a day or two because that's what happened last time to me but still after the next day it still hadn't settled down and my chiro is away on holidays so I just had to put up with it on the weekend.

It was a sad weekend for me too as I missed out on so much stuff.  Friday night was a big birthday bash for Zumba - so 4 hours of Zumba in a club in the city.  I went to the last one which I loved so much so was really looking forward to this one and also thinking I would get another 4 hours marked off my '97 hour challenge' so home I sat (and chatted over facebook with another friend who is pregnant right now ALSO with sciatica so we had a small cry together LOL). 

Then Saturday I was meant to go to a special release of a new fitness craze in adelaide and I was thinking that I should have at least gone if only to have watched but I literally found moving too much of an effort so I stayed home.

So my weekend has been quiet and non eventful.  It has however given me the challenge to have a 'clean eating' weekend as I can't be immobile and also eating treats.  It's been soooo hard let me tell you I have craved chocolate so much this weekend - that's bordem for you!!!

Weigh in (eek... don't look) - Wed 13 June

Today is weigh in day and I'm sure that I wish that I had thought of doing it like the picture here. Although it's not too bad I'm sure that it reflects exactly on my actions of the past few days.

I lost 700gms however with all the hard work and effort I did I'm sure the calories won somewhere....

Tuesday I spent 5 hours working out, 4 in actual classes and then a 1 hour walk on the treadmill as 'last chance training'.  

However there is also another thing playing a part in my weight loss struggles this week and that would be from 'being a woman (and I can't even say 'of my word' because I was no this week) LOL - bloating BIG time so I have fluid, calories and nearly even tears to contend with this week.

I just want to crawl into bed and sleep for the day.  Another girl at the gym said she felt that same way so at least I didn't feel so alone but still feeling crappy I wouldn't wish on anyone! 

I only managed to get through 1 Zumba class today as I'm just feeling 'not with it' and although I realise that you can't feel good all the time today even Robot Mode isn't going to cut it and Mish did say to us we should give it a go and if we still aren't feeling it then we have permission to leave it alone.  I did a Zumba class and still wasn't feeling it so home I go to replan and regroup for the upcoming week!

Happy Birthday Queen Liz - Mon 11th June

Today in SA is the queen's birthday! Also a red flag day for me.  Being home all day nearly with the children hmmmm hopefully I can keep myself busy!!!

Luckily for me the gym is open this morning so I go and do my usual Monday morning step class and then thought that I would give aerosculpt a go as I want to start toning up a bit. It was a great class.

I am glad that I went to the gym because there is no 'public holiday' option in the 12wbt plan LOL.  Unless it's rest day...???  Yesterday being Sunday and also being TOTALLY guilty from all the calories I ate yesterday I thought I better get my butt to the gym!  Wow I've never been to the gym on a Sunday morning before and oh boy was I feeling it.  I felt like I was dragging around a heavy weight which was my body I'm sure all those calories added a few extra kgs yesterday LOL.

I did Body Attack - thank god it was the same as yesterdays Body Attack so I had a fair idea of what I was doing but sooo frustrated by the fact that another different instructor was telling me of different options to do sigh... how does anyone get these things right??? Also I'm looking at others in the class and they are just doing their own thing - why aren't they doing what I'm doing? LOL

I also did Sculpt today too hopefully I will make my arms so sore and heavy that I won't want to pick up any more calories LOL.  So that was my sunday...

Back to Monday - ... I'm glad that I worked hard I 'maybe have undone' the eating damage however tonight faced with another dilemma as my mum has invited us over for Roast Dinner!  How can you say NO to your mums home cooking??? Not I.  So off we go and I say to myself in the car ride down 'be good' 'be good'.  However hunger takes over while we are there as we waited nearly 2 hours for dinner and I inhaled all of my dinner nearly including the plate - YUM!

There's also some small cake and desert and it's served and put in front of me before I can say no - hmmm everyone else has desert I'll be polite and eat it.... sigh.... weight loss god's are coming after me on Wednesday I'm sure.....

Gym Junkie - Sat 9th June

My whole family is busy today with their own things so I thought noone is going to miss me so I'm going to make myself busy at the gym.  I've got many lost hours to catch up on now I don't see that I'm going to be doing anything totally crazy like an 8 hour day at the gym but let's see what the day brings.

I went to my second Free-Step class today and that was good! I really like the instructor but she's such a dancer which is a great thing, but her feet are way too fast for me.  I will keep going I'm determined to get the hang of at least HALF of the steps that she is doing.  As this was my second week I was able to pick up a lot of the stuff a lot easier and each week even if I can just get 1 more bit right then that will be ok.  Then no doubt after 6 weeks she will change it all again LOL.  It's ok it's all exercise. 

As I'm still TOTALLY paranoid of some of the step work - (yes I think the step is out to get me some days who doesn't) I do some of the steps on the floor but I'm still on the same leg as her (in most cases) and still on the beat to the music so it's all good)!

After is ZUMBA - gotta love ZUMBA!!! With Kylie - she's now taking over the Saturday class instead of dancing Lisa and I got a request in for one of the songs that I like so I was grooving away to that - heaps cool which was good because I was totally exhausted from step so if it's music you really like I think it spurs you on to keep going!

Then I did some running around - made sure my family was fed and watered at the event they were at and then I headed back to the gym for the 2.30pm Body Attack class.  I haven't done Body Attack in a good year so I thought this would be a laugh.

It was quite good although I was getting TOALLY frustrated at the 'options' and how I obviously wasn't doing what I was meant to be doing or using the right body muscle.  I don't know I just jumped around like a mad man LOL.

The only down side of today is that I was a tad hungry after all my jump and jiving and my inner labradore puppy was out and sniffing around.  I went to check on the family after all my gym work and they had put out mini plates of cakes and biscuits I only had a few pieces for tasting but it was that and then some lollies left on the table by the kids and then the small treat of chocolate I had allowed myself in the evening (blatenly forgetting about all the calories I had consumed earlier).

So I'm thinking now I've exercised all day for nothing - yep good on me!  Sigh..... well lesson learnt... I realise today is a treat meal day but it's not a treat DAY!

First Weigh In - Wed 6th June

Woo Hoo!  First weigh in, first thing in the morning, naked after your wee (I'm sure that hubbies all over 12wbt land are happy to see their wife's naked in the morning....) Tee Hee! (ps I knew this picture doesn't represent me but I thought it would be funny)!!! 

Happy camper here I've lost 1kg which is good news for me for the week or should I say only 'two days' that I've just had!  It just goes to show that many things are excuses and need to be overcome at all costs!

Today I have been on the quiet side as far as exercise goes and a bit of poor planning to say the least.  I still had a sore calf muscle from the last night but still went to Zumba at the gym although I couldn't give as much effort as I usually would at least I was still moving and a grooving where I needed to be just less jumping.

I was going to stay and try and walk it out on the tready at the end but my leg was really sore and I can't afford another injury.

I probably should have stayed and done 'something' with my time because I totally forgot about my daughters music concert at school which meant no evening exercise for me which my leg is grateful for!

Day 2 - De-ja-Vu? Tues 5 June

Day 2 and the feeling of 'here we go again.....'!  Don't worry I'm not going to post about EVERY day in 12wbt but just a small insigh of what I go through at times.

This morning I was SUPER organised as you know I've got 3.5hours of exercise to kill and I'm prepared to do the work to get me there.  So I drop the kids off at school and drive up the gym (15 min drive away) and get my tickets for RPM, and gym stick (a new class which I'm so looking forward to) and going to do some treadmill walking today too and really smash it out of the park.

I'm waiting inline to do RPM and we are 5 mins late but that's ok and ring ring.... it's my son's school.... please come and get him, he's unhappy.  Well do you know what - I'm now UNHAPPY that I've had this call, there goes my whole day OMG, why me, ok keep calm, hand back all your registration tickets at the front desk (they think I'm crazy for turning down a workout mind you until I explain that I've had a call from 'school' to which I get 'oh ....' (and a drop of their head I bet they are secretly thinking - thank god it's you and not me and you know what I'm thinking 'why me too' LOL)!

So I go and get him and decide that STUFF IT!  This is just an external excuse and this one is still within my control so I check my watch and decide I have the power to make myself have a positive impact on my day and I drag my son off to Zumba and he sits on the couch and watches.  Although I think he secretly loved this because it meant that he got to do a little bit of dancing on his own up the back.   I don't mind I still got a workout. 1 hour is better than none.

I realise I could have done more at home but I had already dedicated to the house work and other errands that needed to be done!

In the evening I headed off to my regular back to back Zumba - 5.30pm up at the gym and 7pm with Kylie.  However things were not meant to be in Kylie's class either and I only got through 30 minutes because I had to sit down with a sore leg.  Good old calf muscle playing up again.  I stayed till the end and watched however drooling at the energy that everyone else had.  I didn't want to leave mid way through as she's so lovely and worries about people that have injuries so I stayed to watch.

Tomorrow is the first official weigh in day and I which that STRESS burnt all those calories because I'd be a super model by now!!!

Day 1 - Round 2 - Let's Go! - Mon 4th June

It's day off, day one, starting day, on your mark's, get set, GOOO!!!!!!

I'm super excited for this round that it's finally here!!! I'm actually treating it like it's a round all by itself which really it is because I've had 3 weeks break and had some bad habits sneak back in again so it's time to 'woman up' and get back on the right track!

I've also started another facebook challenge : for every 'like' I get I am going to commit to 30 minutes of exercise.  I put this on my private facebook for my friends to see and also in a few of the 12wbt pages that I am involved with.  I ended up with 97 likes!  WOW thanks for the support guys (I think.... LOL).

My friend who is a PT was egging me on and I said as I joke be careful or I'll 'double dare' you and the next thing I know she said ok sure your on - so she is committing to 97 hours of workout time!!!! OMG.... I could be at her funeral before the end of 12 weeks LOL.

Ok the kicker of the deal - we only have one full month to do it in.  I decided that I could go for broke too and try to see if I could double it too - you know anything for a challenge!!!

However today hasn't turned out the best - none of the best deals do....

Half way through a pilates class (my first one mind you too) I get a call from the school - my son is being a little terror and I have to go and get him - sigh ... so I only got 1.5hours in this morning!

So I high tail it to the evening Zumba to click in another hour - if I'm going to do this 97 hour thing in a month I have to do nearly 3.5 hours of exercise in a day - WOW.....  Let's see how I go - this could either make me or break me ....

Pre-Season Task 8 - Measure Up - Thur 31 May

Errr.... we all knew this was coming.... it's time to face up to the hard numbers and be a woman of your word that your dedicated now to never having to see those ever again.

It's also time to take that before shot again with a recent mag so you can also say to yourself 'never again'.

Although it's only been 3 weeks since the last 'end of round photo' I took, I haven't changed into a super model over night.  LOL.  Although it's sooo strange.... I was REALLY happy with my 'after' photo from round 1 because you can see the difference but for the round 2 'before' photo I am pretty much the same yet I think 'sigh'.... It's all about mindset really although you know that in 12 weeks time you are going to be a better person because of it, it still feels like 'here we go again type thing'.

Onwards and upwards.  Details entered, starting weight entered - come on 16kg loss this time!!!

Goals set, tasks done, positive mind in - check!  Let's GOOOO!!!!!!!

ps this picture just made me laugh so I put it here I'm not really comfy in my own skin so that's why I'm changing it, but I guess for some people it really is 'too hard' and I totally understand that as it's where I was a good year or so ago!

HOORAH!!! HRM is ALIVE!!! Wed 30 May

Today I got the call my HRM is ALIVE!!!! (I know life or death right ;-P ...)

It was more than a flat battery let me tell you.  I needed a new battery in my watch unit and in the chest strap and also I needed a new chest strap and the sensors inside of it had cracks in it as it is over 2 years old.  The whole lot including service and repairs was only $62 so I'm really happy with that as I now have my baby back home!!!!

I drive there as soon as I get the call and pick it up in the arvo (after having done a Zumba in the am at the gym and again sweated like a little piggy so really wondered how many calories I really did burn - yeah yeah I know I'm obsessive about those little calories.....)

But you know what they say ....

So any chance to get in there and smash them up is a good thing!!!!

Right let's get back to smashing more calories now that my baby is back!!!

Zumba Birthday Party - Tues 29 May

Tonight was an exciting Zumba event.  My new instructor and friend Kylie is having her 2nd Zumba Birthday to celebrate her 2nd year in business.  Super excited to rock it out for 1.5hours.  Just a little sad that my HRM can't be here with me today LOL.

I twas a great night with two of her friends coming to instructor.  Some of the dances they did the music I knew but they had all different moves and other dances they did I knew VERY well so was able to rock it out.  I really liked the big ones where we split the room and do massive cardio parts of it.

I know I sweated up a storm and Kylie had a massive turn out so I'm really excited for her.  Even some of her 'day time only ladies' came to her evening event to show their support.  Kylie is so lovely and kind and friendly to everyone. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

RIP HRM ... - Tues 29 May

My trusty Polar HRM has offically DIED.  It tells me that I no longer have a heart beat and after banging my chest in a Zumba class and saying partly outloud I can't find a registered heart beat (and proabably scaring some of the poor older ladies in the class) I decide that my HRM probably needs to go to the polar doctor.  (I would like to mention that I tried unsuccessful to get the back off the small monitoring device as everyone was saying I just need a new battery I went to two watch guys and even they COULDN'T do it - so it's not just me being a 'girl') LOL.

There is an official 'doctor' here in Adelaide which is good news so I bravely drive in my HRM for review.  I thought cool, drop it off and get it fixed ASAP.  The guy on the phone said 'sure bring it and we will have a look at it'.  Cool I thought that meant fix it NOW.  He meant put it in the 'do to' box.  LOL.

So I had to leave my poor HRM at the doctor and await the phone call to go back and get him.  I'm not too impressed that I drove all the way there just to 'drop it off' I could have paid $5 and express posted it and not wasted my morning but at least it's now there.

However on the way home - some more adventure.... A flat tyre!!!!  I hear this 'funny' noise and think ahhhggrrrrr the boot is open again - pull over and nope - we are dead duck!!!

I'm a strong woman now, a woman of my word, JFDI, never give up and give it everything you have got, I am sure I can change this tyre myself!  Woo Hoo! Let's do it ...

yeah RIGHT!!!! I can't even get the bloody hub cap off!!! OMG what kind of JFDI am I???   So I call the RAA that's what I pay my membership for!  I was so lucky today too because after you hang up and they have disbatched a truck you get an SMS saying it's on it's way and within 2 minutes the truck was here! Wow I had visions of waiting a good hour or so!

I explain to the man 'sorry I'm a girl today' and he just laughs.  I offer to help but he is done in about 6 minutes.  Need to get myself one of those tools.  He changed my tyre just as fast as the pit crew in the Grand Prix!

I look at my watch and realise is I drive like Ayrton Senna (no I'll stick to the speed limit I promise) I can make it for Zumba at 11am the other side of town and you know what I made it with minutes to spare - now THAT'S dedication to ZUMBA.  A little sad however it's my first class for a while without my heart rate monitor and I'm really sweating at the end of the class so I wonder just how much hard work I really did do? LOL Always the way!

Pre-Season Task 7 - Fitness Test - Mon 28 May

Here we go again.... LOL

It's always good to have a baseline of what fitness you can do but sometimes I think how am I so unfit even after all the Zumba that I do LOL.

I can at least run for 1km nearly without stopping although its quite a slow jog which is fine as I kept on moving!!!

Then there is other things tested like pushups, situps (0, I tell you 0 core strength here - major struggle street LOL) and flexability!  

My results are pretty much spot on for what I finished with last round so that at least to know after three weeks of being a bit quiet on the exercise I haven't lost everything to be back at the start again.

We will redo the test again in week 4, 8 and 12 so hopefully I'm going to be running that bit faster and will eventually be able to sit up and do a sit up all on my own!!!!

Beach Walk - Sun 27th May

A group of new round 2 members decided to have a meet and great with a beach walk and coffee in the middle so we could all chat and catch up.

It was great to meet everyone and we are fast becoming friends.  It's quite funny many of the things we all have in common from living close to one another to the hobbies that we enjoy and our past experiences of life etc.

I look forward to building this support network with these girls and many others along the way!!!

ps thanks to the random man who we got to stop to take our photo - poor guy LOL

Pre-Season Task 6 'Organise & Diarise' Thurs 24 May

I LOVE this task.  I don't seem to do anything without my diary these days even my poor mum when she rings up and invites me somewhere I say I just have to check my diary! LOL.

I bought my diary back in round 1 for a whole $3 and I write so much stuff in it. I plan all my workouts and either tick or cross out what I did or didn't get done, I write notes in there too about children's illnesses so I can see what interupts my workout schedule whether it's internal or external excuses.

Also using a diary really helps me to get the most out of my day as I can plan everything out to make sure I get things done.  I learnt a long time ago from a dear friend to say 'if I can get it done today I will, if not then it can wait till tomorrow' there is no use totally stressing myself out any more pushing against deadlines.  Stress for me brings chocolate and other bad habits which get's in my way of my 12wbt journey and achieving my goals!

So for me - being organised is the 'KEY'!

Pre-Season Task 5 'Kitchen Makeover' Wed 23 May

Another daunting task for me.  Giving the kitchen a makeover.... (I wish it was more about remodelling that would be a good excuse to tell hubby - we HAVE to do over the kitchen - Mish told me too.... tee hee).  But it's all about the food!!!! There isn't too much 'naughy' foods in this house as I had previously cleaned out a fair amout of it but I do have the occasional treats in there as my son is a very fussy eater and well as mums we all have our bribes in there.  I know we shouldn't give our children food as rewards but some days you need that bribery and some days what ever works to get you through the day.  I also figure that 'knowing' the treats are in the cupboard is going to present myself the opportunity to flex my willpower muscle and not have it.  

I will be honest and say that I feel guilty not having some treats in the cupboard for my hubby as he rides a bike to and from work and when he gets home from work is likely to eat anything not nailed down so I like to know that there are some snacks in there for him as he also is a very fussy eater and is not going to reach for fruit.

It is something that I will have to learn to deal with regarding the children as they say 'be the example you want to set' and I don't want my daughter dealing with the issue of weight loss games when she is older if she learns to eat right when she is younger.  We are getting there as a family.  She eats a lot like me will lean towards salads as a side where as we give my son pasta and other carbs as he has been the same weight for quite a while now and is going to be a skinny boy probably even when he is older.

The other great part of the kitchen task is the opportunity to go shopping and get loads of fruit food.  It's quite funny even though I buy in lots of fresh vegies its always the carrots and celery that dissapears first along with some of the fruit which is great that everyone like's to eat these but I just laugh as I then need  a second shopping trip to do a few top ups during the week which is ok!

FINALE!!!! Melbourne - Tuesday 22nd May

What a FANTASTIC weekend I've just had.  I'm home and so proud of so many things this weekend!

Firstly we got to do the big workout with Mish and her 12wbt team and of course being Melbourne it was raining on and off all morning so we were dodging the rain before the main event but luckily during the actual workout the weather cleared up.  It was so amazing to see so many people there I know that there was at over 1500 people there and we BROKE the World Record for a Group Workout WOO HOO!  How exciting to be part of that. 

Of course I took the opportunity to take many pictures with all the famous people I saw and got to get one picture with Margie the winner from the Biggest Loser which was a massive highlight for me she is such an inspiration for me! 

 Also there was Amelia Burton who I follow on facebook and then our group picture with Mish.  It took a long time to wait to get the picture but it was well worth it!

In the evening we had the PARTY!!!! That was amazing to see soooo many people in the room it was so funny as you bumped into people at the workout who said come and say hi at the party but the minute we walked in the room it was just packed!  

I got a picture with Alex which was just great as I didn't know he was going to be there so now I think I've done my 15 seconds of fame with everyone famous on the weekend. 

The only other highlight would have been to have gotten pictures with Mish on her own but she had a massive group of security around her so it was so hard.

I was with a friend of mine in Melbourne but she went home early so I spent the next two days just walking around everywhere in Melbourne I think if my friend was with me I would have killed her! LOL 

 I really loved doing all the shopping I didn't buy a lot but it was just so good to look.  

I weighed when I got home and had only managed to put on 1kg all that time being away which was just amazing for all the things that I ate but none the less had a great time!

Pre-Season Take 4 'Say It Out Loud' - Thurs 17 May

This task I have found in the past to be quite daunting.  To make yourself pubically accountable to say that you are going to be a 'woman of your word'.  I worry about the pressure of people expecting results from me I worry that I won't ever be able to eat chocolate again without getting the third degree I worry that people will put me on a pedistool and expect great results from me and then cut me down if I don't deliver.  

I worry that I will let myself down.

Although I have all of these worries I also have been able to see from the past few months from the previous rounds all the statements I have posted on facebook, the pictures I have uploaded and the stories that I have shared with everyone have all been met with many 'woo hoo's' and well done's and just so much support I never expected!  

So this round I'm really proud to tell everyone that I'm back from another round and looking forward to achieving more results and being the best version of me that I can be! I'm going to follow a strong nutrition plan and exercise 6 days a week, set SMART goals and ACHIEVE them and I'm committed to do the work to get me there!

Pre-Season Task 3 - 'Gear Up' Monday 14 May

Ohhh how I LOVE LOVE LOVE this task.  It basically scream's 'go shopping'.  I don't think you can ever have enough gym clothes... tee hee!

I love Lorna Jane however her sizing doesn't currently love me and I think the poor girls at the shop are getting annoyed with me 'just looking' I go in for some inspiration and just to look at all the pretty things LOL.  I did try on some of the flash pants that were in there - could barely breath in them but that's good to know that ONE DAY they will fit.

I'll use the weekend away in Melbourne as an excuse to go shopping although it will be for more regular clothes rather than gym gear!

I already have my HRM and shoes so that's good and the other weekend we did a clothes swap and I got two new pairs of gym pants - black which is great as my pair from my first round are getting a bit baggy, a bit washed out looking and have served me well!

I'm going to be doing most of my workouts at the gym so I already have my membership there and of course my additional Zumba classes so that's really the only other expensive that I have.

So I'm all ready, set, GO!!!!!

Happy Mother's Day - Sunday 13th May

Happy Mother's Day to all the mums out there!  How exciting!!!!!

I was a little cheeky in my efforts to make sure we had a wonderful Mother's Day this year which started with a great present... who doesn't love presents.... so I pre-ordered this on behalf of my family to give to me!  How good is my hubby (thanks for the credit card... tee hee).

So I received this GORGEOUS ZUMBA TOP & EARRINGS!

Aren't they gorgeous!!! I'm so happy.  I could have bought so much more there was some very cute stickers too that had 'Zumba changed my wife' but they were unavailable at the time LOL.  It was free shipping too so I told hubby I saved him from money and from stress!!!! 

He claims what do you buy for the woman who has access to his credit card and really he's right (a bit like the 'what do you buy for a woman who has everything')! LOL.

I was planning earlier in the year to do the Mother's Day Classic - to do the 7.5km walk with a friend but the closer it go the more nerve racked I got and also the early bird cut off date came and went and then slowly but ever so quickly it seemed everything else came up too quickly and we weren't organised enough to do the event.  I only feel a tiny bit guilty that I didn't get to it but it will be a goal for next year to be able to do it.  I was so nervous and although I would have been so happy to have JFDI I will see what next year brings and look forward to even the possibility of being able to run it.  Even the smaller 4km section of it.

Pre-Season Task 2 - Set Your Goals - Sun 13th May

I have always loved goal setting I think it really gives you something to strive towards and also no matter how small always shows you some level of acomplishment and just how far you have come on those days that you just feel blah....

The goals for this round I am setting as not much different from the first round as I didn't don't feel all that confident about my fitness levels so just want to get out there and keep with the program and just keep taking every day one step at a time!

We set goals in our official 12wbt page so what I wrote is:

1 MONTH GOAL :

 To have lost 5 kgs
To improve on my 1km time trial

3 MONTH GOAL :

To have lost 15kgs.
To be able to run for 2kms without stopping

HOW WILL I DO THIS:

Follow the 12wbt program and mini goal set all my challenges for fitness and build on it each day to achieve my final goal.

For this blog I'm just going to focus on those two goals even though I did blog 6 mths and 12 mths with her.  It's hard to believe that even in 6 mths time I am going to be a much fitter, active and happier person that I am even now!

As you can see from my side panel I have my mini goals there ranging from weight to personal goals.  All which I will be excited to achieve when I get there.

Thanks to my wonderful friend Sharryn T - who sent me this picture from facebook it was EXACTLY what I needed!!!