Drive!

I had a couple of job interviews this week. The first one was horrible, and I knew when I walked in that it wasn't the right place for me. In between answering some questions a cellphone starts ringing, and the guy interviewing me says 'Oh I HAVE to take this' and walks out. The other person in the interview carries on, like this extreme rudeness isn't happening. I took time out of my day, to visit a company who don't even have the manners to give me their full attention.

I was not impressed. They are making a decision on Friday, and if they choose me, I think I'll be saying no.

The second one was yesterday and it fucking rocked. I loved everything about the offices, the interviewers were awesome, the job sounds fantastic and perfect for me... however, towards the end when they asked me what I thought - I had to be honest and say 'this is a really awesome job, and the only thing I can see that you guys might have an issue with is that I don't have a driver's license'. Then I told them a story about how I went to get it and the woman behind the counter embarrassed me by yelling out 'YOUR LEARNERS LICENSE??' to the entire staff of the AA. They laughed, and the guy said 'That's easily fixable'.

I decided this morning, that if I get a second interview - I'm going to get my learners before it, so I can show them that I am motivated and I really really want the job.

Fingers crossed for me guys!

Time

I'm not sure how it happened, but suddenly it is December.

I have my Mum's presents organised, but not the Pandyr. Last year I actually fooled him into thinking he was getting dvd's and instead he recieved a very nice leather wallet. This year, I'm stumped.

Boys are so hard to buy for.

Me - I can go pink shoes, chocolate, books and purfume and I am one happy girl.

Phew.

This morning I did a huge ride round Hagley Park. I didn't actually mean to, I was trying to check out some offices and got completly disorientated (what sense of direction?), and ended up back tracking and riding on grass and gravel, for about 30 minutes longer than my usual 15 to get to work.

I'm actually feeling pretty good now. Not sure if thats good enough again to try it tomorrow - I'll see how my legs are when I get up. But I think I'm ready for the gym again :)

Neglect.

Excuse me while I just dust off the furniture and get ready to start over.

I think thats my downfall. That I consistently need to start over. And here I bloody go again. How much time and money have I wasted.... lets not even go there.

Ready, set.....

I'm around.

And also round. Been struggling a lot with Body Revolution, doing it half assed and not really eating properly. I had the hard word put on me by my trainer, so this week have been making a real effort to eat right and excercise.

So far, I'm day four with no chocolate. For someone who would eat chocolate every day this is a pretty big acomplishment. I am allowed one treat per week - and it was going to be a cadbury dairy milk, but now I'm thinking a burger would be such a better treat, I don't need that chocolate just yet.

Thanks for your comments. I'm going to try and make an effort to write more again. I really need to achieve this goal. And when we finally set a date for our wedding I don't want to be the fat chick in the big dress - my two bridesmaids are very slim. I'm going to be the toned, healthy and in the correct weight range.

It hurts to laugh

I did a workout with my trainer yesterday and she made me do these ab excercises that are causing me no end of ow today. I also did some hard out cardio on the treadmill and I'm going back tomorrow.

This weeks goals:

Make my lunch three times.
Already made for tomorrow, have planned dinner for tomorrow night too, and I will take leftovers for Tuesday's lunch. Just one more day to plan :)

Hit the gym four times
I've got an appointment with my trainer tomorrow, so then its three - and really, I enjoy going, so if I go more than that it will all be good.

Positive affirmation
Thats right - I've got to tell myself everyday that I will be fit and healthy.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :)

Birthday :)

Yes, today (if you are in America) but yesterday if you are in New Zealand, I turned 30.

I think food shouldn't count on your birthday, I ate WAY too much but I'm not going to stress about it.

The really cool thing is that my trainer has given me a free box session, so I'm pretty excited about that. Except now I have the 'So you wanna be a boxer' song from the movie Bugsy Malone stuck in my head.

Oh, and Andrew aka The Pandyr, AndyPandy, Drew, the boy, finally got his act together and asked me to marry him.

It took eight years - but the wait was worth it.

New Trainer. New Focus. Fingers Crossed.

I met my new trainer tonight - she's lovely and she told me she's a bodybuilder who went to the World's last year. Total shock cause she's TINY. But really cool, because she knows what its like to give up the things you love.

I am feeling much more focused and ready to kick ass - which I'm really happy with. She told me a few of her success stories with other clients - shrinking someone from a size 28 to a size 12 in a year, which is great motivation.

And, we are setting weekly goals.

This week: (even though its already Tuesday)

Make my lunch twice during the week.
I am a complete shocker with this - I probably spend about $40 a week on food and snacks and chocolate and crap. So my first goal is a two time a week homemade lunch. I think I might have to leave my cashflow card at home on those two days so its not as tempting.

To workout three times this week.
Thursday - Body Attack on my own (as Trudz is now working to 5.30)
Friday - Body Pump
Sunday - Cardio

To start my food plan.
Properly this time.

So as much as I would like to eat all the chips, ginger crunch and drink all the coke thats hanging around this house, I'm going to resist temptation.

Wish me luck.

What the?

So somehow I ended up in July.




I have fallen off the exercise train. Fallen RIGHT off. Avoided sessions with my trainer - although she did quit two weeks ago - become unmotivated and blah.

I guess it happens to us all. It's winter now - and in ten days I will be thirty.

30. The big Three Zero.

Unmotivated.

Fat.

Tired.

Stupid sugar cravings.

So, I know what I need to do - and today I took the first step. I emailed the gym, complained about my trainer giving me one day's notice that she was quitting - and managed to score two free sessions to help me get back on it with a new trainer :)

First session is tomorrow night at 5.30pm.

I am setting myself some goals. Some real goals. And I'm going to be a lot more focused. And fuckit - even though my rent has jumped up (this house is five million times warmer, nicer and cooler than our old one), my health is way more important than making sure I have enough money for lunch (there is food in the cupboards I could take to work and eat - but thats a whole other post).

I don't want to be 30 without a plan.

Motivate me!

I'm feeling incredibly unmotivated at the moment. And I'm going to blame winter. Its too cold to ride - although I do it anyway - thanks neckwarmer and wind proof gloves - although I'm not sure what I'm going to do when it rains.

I'm also going to blame the Pandyr's three month or so long nightshift. So not only when I get home around 7ish in the night, do I then have to cook my dinner and shower and wash dishes and wash clothes, I then get woken up anywhere between 1am and 5am when he gets in.

As you can imagine this makes for a very grumpy Mel.

I need to get back into it. I've been stuck on the same weight for the last month. I can't get my head round the eating plan. Its bloody easy, but I can't be arsed writing down what I just ate. or thinking about it. Its cold. I suck. I need help.

I forgot to mention that I want to thank everyone who comments - even if its just to say Hi - and Sharon I have two presents here for Neco and if I don't get organised he's going to be way too old to ever get any use out of them!

Two Attacks in a week :)

Attack classes that is. This must be a bit of a shock and I am doing them mostly low impact, but I'm pretty pleased with that.

I got my photos back from the challenge. I've been trying to work out what to say about them - but its really tough.

See, when I see a photo of myself - I'm always shocked that it's me. I never see myself as the fat chick (even though I am), and it's a bit of an eye opener. I wish I was brave enough like Renee to post my pics, but I'm not sure if I can do it.

But the changes between the first photo and the last are really different. I mean, I'm still a lard ass - I only lost 7 kilos - but my body has changed shape - no-one told me I had this weird humpback whale thing going on - (thats actually on my back) - and thats descreased markedly - my stomach actually doesn't stick out as far as the puppies anymore (which is a novelty), my ass has shifted (always good, cause I don't want a mum's bum), and my t-shirt is loser around the arms and waist.

I'm going to get the Pandyr to take a pic of me at the end of the next 12 weeks so I will always have the comparison - and, as my friend Lesley suggested - I could make a flip book - so I can flip through it and see myself shrinking as time goes on.

Day One.

Well its day one of body rev, and so far I am going okay. Not sure how much more food I can stuff in my mouth, so I'm going to question that - but I managed an attack class (mostly low impact) and then came outside to find beautiful rain. There's nothing like jumping on your bike when your seat is wet.

I find I am really naughty in that when I get home I muck round for ages before eating dinner, jumping in the shower, going to bed, etc. So this week I'm going to make a determined effort to leave the damn computer alone - to start my dinner, jump in the shower, turn my dinner over, get dressed, eat my dinner, do the dishes, and then relax.

I'm sitting here in a t-shirt freezin my ass off - which is just stupid. It's no wonder this damn cold won't piss off.

Goal Revisited.

Oh yea, I do have a goal in my head that I want to reach. It's 'under the hundy'. (thats kilos, not pounds). But once I get there, I'm not sure what comes next. I was hoping to hit it before my birthday - but with only eight weeks to go, I'm not sure its healthy-achievable. So I'm breaking it into little steps.

Be prepared.

So tomorrow I start my first day on Body Revolution. I went shopping yesterday and bought a gazillion veges and fruit, and tonight before I go to sleep, I'm going to pack all my snacks and stuff to be ready for work. I think this is all about being prepared. About taking enough food so that I don't slip up and eat chocolate, or chips or whatever. I mean I still can have that stuff, just not every day.

So here goes. :)

How much?

Today I was asked by a lady (who has noticed my weight loss with interest) how much I wanted to lose.

I thought about it for a while - and I actually don't know.

For some reason the numbers don't really matter - as long as my clothes fit right, and I'm healthy then I don't mind. Plus, if muscle weighs more, then surely the weight thing isn't that important?

I need to think about this. My thinking is shifting. I'm kind of scared. Well, okay not really.

Final Results

Here they are -
7.1 kilos (or 15 and a bit pounds for my american friends)
Total cms : 42 (or 16.5 inches)
13 off my chest
18 off my waist
4 off my hips
4 off my thigs
.5 off my calf
3 off my biceps

I'm pretty happy with that. Wrote my story, got my after photos done, everything is in - roll on the prizegiving.

I've also decided to do Body Revolution. This is kind of like the challenge again, but in involves dedicated eating and menu plans - and seeing is where this is where I tend to crash and burn, I'm looking forward to it.

I'm meeting my trainer on Monday to go through it all. Should be cool. So don't stop reading because I still need your support.

Also if someone can help me figure out how to put links on the site that would be awesome.

Time

So its week 12 and I wrote a big post about it last night, but bloody blogger ate it and as much as I hit the recover post button it would not come back.

Its the final week of the 12 week challenge. I'm meeting my trainer on Thursday morning for the final measurements, weigh in and body fat. Next week I have to get my 'after' picture taken, hand in my measurement and goal sheet, and write a story about me vs the challenge.

It's actually a lot harder than I thought it would be. The story part I mean. I didn't really struggle, but I have realised a few things about myself. Once its handed in and the judging and winners have been released I'll post it here.

By the way - don't think that with this week being the end of the challenge that I'll be stopping. I've only just started :)

Deal.

I hit the gym this morning. Its the first time in a fair few Sundays that I've actually come - but I did a lot better than my Wednesday attempt, so I must be over the virus by now. (PLEASE!)

I also weighed myself. Now I'm not sure if I should be going off the last couple of weigh ins, because I haven't been eating right and I still could be deyhdrated from being sick, but it seems that I am currently 600 grams underneath the goal I wanted to hit for Week 12 of the challenge.

I clocked my goal. Two weeks early. I'm really stoked, but also really nervous that prehaps I won't stay that low. So I decided to give myself a deal. And I'm posting it here, so I have to stick with it.

For the next two weeks (until the end of the challenge) I promise to:
1. Track everything that enters my mouth. (I just had the dirtiest thought then)
2. On the days I don't go to the gym, I need to use my pedometer and hit the 10K step mark.

If I am at goal at week 12 my original promise to myself was to buy myself a piece of bling.

If I am under my goal = by at least 500 grams = then I will give myself an extra reward, by purchasing something from my wishlist at Amazon.

Deal.

Shaken.

I went to the gym tonight - did my usual Wed Pump class, but honestly couldn't handle it. My legs were shaking after the squat track, and by the time I got to lunges - it was pretty much over. So I snuck out, and called the Pandyr to come get me. Not sure if its a side effect from the virus - or if I didn't eat quite right today.

While I was there, I did jump on the scales - because I am so addicted to weighing myself, and its ridiculous - and it turns out that I'd lost two kilos. It's probably a little more than that - I had shoes on, and I haven't been eating well over the last couple of days. I probably won't keep all of it off though as my body returns to normal - but fingers crossed - I might :)

So I'm not going hard this week - I'm going to take it easy, keep the weights light, and the cardio easy-ish. Maybe catch a balance class.... yeah, that sounds good.

Virus and Me

I love my counter. I love that I can check out how people found their way here. And I love those people who find me by searching on things like 'lose 15 kilos in four weeks' (that's just under four kilos a week) or 'lose five kilos in 14 days'. Do you think that if I could do that, I'd be writing here? Asking for support?

No way - I'd be on an infomercial - with b-list stars raving about how they did it, and how you can too!

There is no quick fix. If you want to lose weight, you need to eat right and exercise. And thats not just a walk around the block once a week.

Although, I will let you in on this secret. You could also do you best to get the wickedest stomach virus like I've currently got. It's going now - but I pretty much spent the first four days in the bathroom, 24 hours a day - with 20 minute naps here and there. Very nice. And oh so attractive. Luckily the doctor didn't want me to do the tasteful 'poo in a jar' routine. But I was told to not eat but keep my liquids up. And now, I'm not hungry. Although that might be partial nerves due to not knowing if my gut is going to work properly or not.

So now its nearly week 10 - and I've no idea where I'm at, because I have no scales at home, and obviously I've not been well enough to move my fatass over the last five days.

So we'll try this again. Rock on Week 10! I'm gonna go hard!!

Attack! Part Two.

Well I conquered it again - but I'm knackered now, and I possibly went too hard because I feel a little sick - but that could of been the fruit drink I had about an hour before I went. (mental note to self, do not do that again).

I really like that class, but I find the people in it are pretty hardcore. It makes me laugh though - I'm doing wimpy press-ups and the superfit chick next to me has to keep stopping hers because she can't do it. Seriously - I did the whole track - it was a combined press and tricep - she did maybe 3/4 if that - and rested way more than me. I see that a lot in Pump too - if the weights are too fucking heavy and you have to keep stopping, drop them down. Who cares if you're lifting less than your friend, or the fat chick in the corner (thats me), just do it properly and you'll get more out of it and be able to up them faster.

I bought a new sports bra too - but its pretty much eating into me I think. They do not make them big enough - which is a pain in the ass - its like gym clothes - I can rarely find any - and if I do, they're pretty ugly - or they have lame ass embroidery - I don't need that - I just need fabric that will breathe, dry quickly, and last longer than two weeks.

Its week nine. I'm gonna go hard.

Cats

Okay so I made a website thru catster for Bear (am am just creating Molly and Ferg's pages) and I think he's already getting more hits than I am. Dammit.

I'm sitting my driver's licence test on Wednesday. Yes, I am nearly 30, and I do not know how to drive. Yes, I am aware this is ridiclous, and yes, I am aware that I have missed out on many opportunities because of it. I am quite nervous - but I think, without doing the challenge, I wouldn't even be attempting to sit it (after all I have to get to the gym somehow in winter - right?)

Thats how much I have changed in the last eight weeks. Its freaky.

I'm now trying to put together my story for the challenge - its pretty hard - I heard that making the judges cry is a good way to get a prize - but this isn't about the prizes (well maybe a little - I am a Leo after all), its about the results and the fact that I have changed my life around. Its not fully all the way round, but I reckon I'm on the path to kicking ass and getting where I want. After years of struggling and not really taking this seriously, suddenly I am.

There is a line. Its pretty long.

At one end - there's the old me - at my heaviest weight (breathe) 124.8 kilos - with a ciggy in one hand and a bourbon and coke in the other - just having scoffed down an entire pizza, garlic bread, chips and dessert - that mel doesn't walk anywhere - she doesn't exercise, and she gets out of breathe really fucking easily.

At the other end - there's the person I want to be - toned and confident, doesn't need to hide, her heart is healthy, and her pcos is gone.

About a third of the way away from the oldme - is me now. Lighter than the above weight - but aiming for 115 in the next four weeks. No ciggies, rarely drinks alcohol, goes to the gym around six times a week, rides her bike nearly every day - still struggles a little with food - manages to only eat two slices of the pizza now. Getting confident, looking healthier, and getting shape definition.

I'm thinking of posting before and after photos from the challenge. But I'm also pretty nervous about it.

I can't believe I posted my actual old weight. Fuck me. I am changing.

Bear has his own website! Thanks Sarah.

This is our darling boy Bear. 

Results.

Here they are!

In the last four weeks I've:

lost 15cm (total of 37.5cm over eight weeks)
lost 1.8kilos (total of 4.3 kilos lost over eight weeks)
10.1% body fat (total of 13.3% body fat lost over eight weeks).

Woohoo! Rock on for the next four weeks - and thanks for all your kind words and support - I really really appreciate it and doubt I would be doing as well without them :)

It also goes to show that weight isn't everything - I'm more stoked by the body fat loss than the kilo loss - I know that the fat loss is making my heart stronger, my body healthier - and eventually the kilos will move.

Body Fat Percentage.

Today I had my body fat percentage measured again.

Now the first four weeks of the challenge, I reduced by body fat by 3.2%. These last four weeks, its down another 12%.

12%. Thats huge. By the end of the challenge, I should be well under 50% body fat (which means I'll be half fat - or so I told the Pandyr).

I've got my official kilo weigh in and tape measurements tomorrow, and the results will be in then.

Attack!

I just did a Body Attack class.

I am so freakin proud of myself right now. This is a truly hard class - I had to do some of it low impact - but I did it. Trudi encouraged me - and I was the biggest person in the class, but thats okay. I am ready to go back next Monday. On the way out, I introduced myself to the instructor, and told him I really enjoyed it and I'd see him next week.

I am finding that so many people are supportive - that I just need to say Hi or smile and once I tell them I'm on the challenege - or after I've been to x number of the class, they realise I am serious and they motivate me. I guess most people come once or twice and drop out. I also think that being the largest is helping me to get recognised more than if I was one of the many skinnies.

I had the wierdest night on Friday where I spoke to about four different people - three of whom told me they are seeing changes in my body - and these are gym people, not my workmates/friends that come.

If you are reading this, and you live in Christchurch, and you want a gym buddy, feel free to email me. The more the merrier - and it will help us all to succeed.

ps - Happy Birthday to the Pandyr. 31 today - old bastard. Must be about time he proposed aye girls!

Personal Training.

So last night I met up with my trainer and we did some box training. It was pretty cool - I got to punch and kick a bag, then inbetween we did some leg work. It ended with sit-ups - and I actually seem to get my shoulders right off the ground now - I wish I could see the improvements in my body like others seem too, and not just in the amount of weight I can lift/move/pump and my flexibility.

Next Wednesday night I'm doing the body fat percentage, before Pump, then Thursday morning I'm doing the measurements and weight, and then I think some more box training. Wish me luck.

Motivation.

I'm really really unmotivated at the moment. Not sure if its because its week seven, or its a general 'its turning into winter' feeling, or whats happening inside my tiny little brain.

Today I really struggled - so I went down to the other end of the office and saw my friend Joan. I told her I didn't feel like going to Combat - and she said that seeing I skipped Jam yesterday I had to go, and she'd walk me down there. And she did. (Although she didn't make sure I actually went in - but I did, and I did the class, and I'm knackered now and glad I went).

I also went and spoke to Lesley - who said that I am starting to get a shape back - that my curves are starting to look like curves, not rolls of fat (there's an attractive image for you all). And that if I was unmotivated - I should go and introduce myself to the people that take the class, tell them I'm unmotivated and that they should feel free to yell at me at any stage during the kicking and punching and speedballing. I chickened out on that, but its a really good idea - I've gotten used to being spoken to in both Pump classes, and in RPM the other night - so maybe next time I'll do it.

Weigh in and measurements again next week. Wish me luck.