The whole transformation in a nut shell (video clip)

Rhys and I made it out to the gym down the road on the weekend so I could get in a strength work out. Knowing that it was the only time I would get to do some great strength exercises for the week, I went pretty hard! I also did quite a few different exercises that Rhys normally does in his program. This was on Saturday…. today is Tuesday…. I am still incredibly sore!

Mainly in my arms, my biceps and triceps. Rhys got me to do a couple of sets of “cowboys”. If you haven’t heard of them before I’ll explain as best I can. You have three barbells, each with a different weight on. A very light weight, an average weight, and a heavy weight. Doing a bicep curl, you start the set with the heavy weight and do about 6 reps. Then you move onto the medium weight, and do about 8-10 reps, lastly you use the light barbell, and do as many reps until you reach fatigue (around 20 if you are lifting the appropriate weight, meaning, your ‘light’ barbell is not to light). Then you have a break, and do it all again. the first round is not too bad, the second round absolutely kills! However, your arms look and feel really big afterward…. and also hurt for a long time! I really enjoyed doing a workout with Rhys!

I have put together a video clip of all the progress photos I have taken along the way, it really shows just how much of a difference 5kg makes. I also included in the video one of the before photo’s of me in my bikinis – remember the ones I spoke about in my very first entry. I feel incredibly nervous about showing this particular photograph. Even in comparison to the “after” photo in the same bikini, it is a very vulnerable feeling to see yourself exposed like this. 

 

 

So that’s all I have for now. My blog entries are likely to become a little more spread out now that I am not training at quite the same intensity I was when I was working with “Fitness Evolution”. But I am still on the whole exercise, good eating, losing weight track, and I plan to continue blogging about things as I go!

E.

Out on my own!!

So I haven’t blogged in quite a while. On Monday just passed I had my final training session with Norbert from Fitness Evolution. I have now reached my target of 62kg – 5KG OF FAT LOST!!! WooooooooOOOooOOhhHHHhhooooooooOOOooOOoooo!! It feels so good! I have been making a small video of all the progress photos that I have taken over the past 7 weeks and to watch the transformation is quite incredible. I still have a little way to go before I reach my end goal of 60 kg, but this will be a good test to see just how much I have learnt and to prove to myself that I can do this on my own. This, in fact is the reason why I have not been blogging of late. I find that the time when I can exercise the easiest, with out being disrupted by the babies is at around 8:30 in the evening which takes away the time that I would normally sit and blog. I plan to continue with the hard work, and will also keep blogging to track  my progress and keep me accountable! 

Just a quick entry today… 

E.

Day 43

So I haven’t blogged for the last few days. To be honest… I haven’t done anything much for the last few days. I have spent the last few days feeling really very unmotivated. (I am human after all).

It has been cold lately, which makes it just hat little bit harder to drink the amount of water I should be, it is towards the end of the shopping week, so there is not the sorts of foods in the house that I should be eating, I have had sick children this last week, I had a busy weekend with nieces and nephews staying over, as well as going to sizzler to celebrate my nieces birthday, and I just didn’t manage to get in any extra cardio sessions – no walks, no jogs, no sprints, no x-trainer. The rain also started in again this weekend making it difficult to get outside for walks/jogs/sprints, and it has been difficult (and felt inconvenient) getting someone to watch the babies in order to go out during the daytime for exercise. And to make things worse… I made another batch of “Selena Cookies” for the kids (my niece and nephews) when they were here on the weekend, and have had a serious problem with resisting them this weekend. Though having said all that – it is all just a bunch of excuses.

The fact is, I have had the opportunity where I can choose to do one thing which will help me to looses weight, or I can choose to do another thing that will not help me to loose weight. Or I can choose to go out and do a 20 min jog (c’mon, it’s only 20 minutes!!) or I can choose to do nothing at all! This week, I found myself making the wrong choices over and over, and over – even the times where I was aware that it was a bad decision – I did it anyways (or in the case of exercising – didn’t do it). 

Unfortunately, due to the crap week – I am not sharing a progress shot this week. I just feel too crap about it.

With today being weigh in day, I knew that it was going to show on those scales. I did not want to step on them. The question was – how bad was it going to be?? I wouldn’t let Norbert watch the scales as the numbers ticked over. I was feeling far too embarressed and ashamed at my lack of commitment this week. After all, the guys at the studio did their job this week – they got in and took me through my strength and cardio work outs. But the rest of it was up to me and I didn’t do my job this week. So I did have a weight gain this week – 0.5kg put on. It might not sound like much, but when you are aware of just how hard you will have to work to burn that off – AGAIN – compared to how easy it is to put it on… it does in fact sound like a lot. 

The lesson learned from this week… those extra couple of quick workouts, and the quality and quantity of what you put in your mouth is all the difference between a good or bad result, and ultimately will make you closer or further away form your end goal. My goal for this week is to stay on top of my food and water consumption (which I know will be fine once I have done the groceries), and to put in the effort to do the workouts planned out for me (and possibly a little more). I currently have 900 grams to loose to reach that golden 5kg mark – I want to knock that over this week!

Even bigger that doing the physical side of things… is the mental side of it all. So I need to just accept that I had a crap week last week and get over it – stop beating my self up over it and stop telling myself that I don’t deserve the training that I am receiving. I need to change that frame of mind, and remind myself, that it is ok for me to be a little selfish with my time, I do deserve this, and I absolutely CAN and WILL loose 900 grams this week.

Norbert took me through a a really challenging strength session today. I pushed 240kg on the leg press!! I think Norbert was tempted to put another weight on… but I had already done three sets – maybe next time! I was on the brink of crying on the bench press again this week – this is the one that my mind always gets in the way. At times, all I can hear in my head is “…this is impossible, I CAN”T DO THIS”. It’s no wonder I have trouble getting through it! Last week after having a great result on the scales, the bench press seemed so easy because my head was in a great space. – complete opposite this week, We did some new exercises to help with my arms, chest and legs. I know I am going to feel it in my abs and glutes tomorrow!!

I was asked to go for a walk after my workout today – just a 30-45 min walk with the pram. Unfortunately it was raining and I was unable to head out for a walk. So after dinner tonight I got to give me Mothers Day gift of boxing gear a workout! Rhys did the pad work and I did all the hard, sweaty, punching/cardio stuff. I threw in the odd minute of skipping between sets, as well as quick sets of 5 pushups. Total workout was about 25 minutes, which I followed with some stretches. It was a really great and I look forward to doing it again! There is no reason why I can’t get in and do a quick session like that in the evenings!

I am not posting my food today – as I have not eaten as regularly as I should have today. After doing the shopping tomorrow, I will be back to the usual format in the blog. We did, however, have takeaway tonight (due to the bare fridge), and I ordered a piece of grilled dory (no oil or butter is used) with a a nice little side salad. It was probably the nicest take away option I have had in a while.

Sorry it was a bit long winded tonight – had a bit to get out.. back to normal tomorrow – promise!

E.

Day 39

My training session last night was fantastic. Josh really pushed me and had me doing some really challenging exercises. I got real hot and sweaty – which is always a good thing! I was thinking that last night was going to be my second last or possibly last training session. But as I found out last night, I have another cardio session booked in for tomorrow and then on Tuesday I have a strength session booked when I will get weighed for perhaps the last time! It will all depend on if I have lost that last 500gms. So I have a couple of sessions left before I can start mourning the loss of them! It has been an experience unlike anything else and I feel that I have got so much more than just weight loss from it all. ( I can’t remember if I have already said this in past posts?!?)

I took the day off from exercise today. Lately I have been having Saturdays off, but seen as though I am having a PT session tomorrow, I figured that today was as good as any. I also felt that I needed to have a good rest after last nights work out. Some of the exercises that Josh had me doing have really targeted certain areas – which today I am sure would just flat out refuse to work if I had even tried. 

We had chicken burgers tonight for dinner – chicken breast fillet cooked with some seasoning and herbs, and a heap of different salad – my favourite. Normally I would make mine on a gluten free roll which also happens to be around half the size of regular burger buns. However – I had no gluten free rolls left, so I found myself eating a regular burger bun which I knew would be too much bread for me – especially at this time of night… I ate it anyway. I am now sitting here feeling over full – which I haven’t felt in a long time. It is actually a really uncomfortable and quite sickening feeling. I am in no rush to feel like this again soon!

Todays Exercise

- NONE! I had the day off today!

Todays Food

Brecky – Oats with sultanas

Morning Tea – A few mixed nuts

Lunch – Wholemeal pita bread with ham, lettuce, sprouts, capsicum, a bit of mozzarella cheese, and a squeeze of mayo

Afternoon Tea – A banana

Dinner – Chicken burger (chicken fillet, salad, and bread roll)

I am looking forward to having a weekend training session this week. It will be nice to step out for a coupke of hours on a Saturday with no children attached.

E.

Day 38

After the last couple of weeks having personal training sessions on back to back days – I feel so much less active this week with the sessions being spread out over the week again. I am having a cardio session tonight at the studio with Josh – which I expect to be my second last, possibly my last training session with them! It makes me a little sad actually! I have really loved every minute of it and got so much out of it all. As my training session is in the evening, I am taking the opportunity to blog now as I know I will be to exhausted afterwards to do it.

So the plan is to go for a good walk with mum this afternoon with the babies in the pram (hopefully around 45 min – 1 hour walk), and then go out for my cardio session at “Fitness Evolution”. I have been thinking about what I will do in the future for good high intensity cardio work outs once I have finished with the personal training. I am looking into what sort of classes are being held in the local area – I am not sure what sort of classes I am even looking for, so long as it will get the heart rate really going and help with burning fat. If anyone in the local area has any suggestions or recommendations, I would love to hear them. Keep in mind that any day time classes will more than likely need to have some sort of child minding facility (if not – can possibly work around it), and evening classes are not a problem as my husband is available to watch the children. I know that “Fitness Evolution” run a program that is three mornings a week called ‘Game on’, which is basically a cardio workout gained through playing different sports and games. I think that would be a lot of fun and very effective but unfortunately the location and time are a bit of an obstacle for me. Details of this program are available form their website (use the link at the side of the blog to check it out). 

Today’s Exercise (planned to do this afternoon/this evening)

- 45 min – 1 hr moderate walk with double pram

- Cardio session at “Fitness Evolution”

Today’s Food

Brecky – Baked beans (I almost forgot breakfast today!)

Morning Tea – Some nuts

Lunch – Left over homemade chicken and vegetable pie with salad (plan to eat this)

Afternoon Tea – Carrot sticks (plan to eat this)

Dinner – (haven’t planned this far ahead yet!)

Hopefully tonight’s session will be a great one. I plan to try give it every thing I’ve got and make the most of it as it will more than likely be one of the last ones I have!

E.

Day 37

Today was a very casual day. My neighbor across the road also had a baby around 9 months ago and is preparing to return to work in the next month or so. One of her goals was to shed some of those extra kilo’s that  stick around after having babies, before returning to work. She has joined to gym down the road, but with having two small children, the days and times that she can use the gym can be limited – something I can identify with all too well! So yesterday, (while both of our 2yr olds were at daycare), I took her baby boy and my baby girl for a good long walk down to the shops and back. The whole trip was just shy of an hour, which gave her enough time to get in for a gym session. Even better is that I know the offer will be reciprocated, making it easier for me to get in some cardio sessions or perhaps even classes in future weeks. I also understand what a challenge weight loss can be – it can be all too easy to decide not to do a work out today because there is no one to look after the kids, or it is too inconvenient. So the more support we have, the easier it is to stay motivated, the more likely we are to succeed! 

After my walk and her gym session we decided to have a nice lunch together. I cooked a chicken and vegie pie that I had made last week and popped in the freezer – it was absolutely packed with all different vegies, along with a nice salad. 

Apart from that, nothing much else happened today!

Todays Exercise

- 1 hour moderate walk with double pram

Todays Food

Brecky – oats with sultanas

Morning Tea – A piece of cheese

Lunch – Homemade chicken and vegie pie with salad

Afternoon Tea – Nuts and Sultanas

Dinner – Pita base pizza with baby spinach, roast lamb, capsicum, roast pumpkin and low fat mozzarella cheese

(Posted this entry a little late – I was unable to get it posted before going to bed last night!)

Day 36 (Week 6 – Progress Photos)

 

Week 6 Front on, 12th May 09

 

Week 6 Side on, 12th May 09

I was very nervous about being weighed today – more than I usually am. I was feeling that I hadn’t had a great week as far as weight loss goes as I had a few days where I was craving sugar and couldn’t resist myself (as well as Mothers Day being thrown in). Even though I had still done a good amount of exercise, and the rest of my food had been really good, I was still feeling that this week was going to be the week that everything slowed right down to a stop… or perhaps, even went backwards (by which I mean, perhaps I would weight on this week). So when I got to the studio, first things first – I hopped on the scales. I honestly couldn’t watch as the numbers clicked over. Then I heard a bit of surprise in Norbert’s voice as he saw the final number stop on the scales – “uh oh, this can’t be good” I thought. I looked down at the scales and immediately looked at the very last number (as this is where I usually see the change… last weeks weight was 63.7kg) and saw –.5kg, so I was thinking 200gm loss – at least it’s still a loss. Then as I stood looking at the number while Norbert went to check last weeks figures, I noticed that it read 62.5kg “hold on a minute… my goal weight, after losing the full 5 kg, will be 62kg” I thought. I immediately called out to Norbert ” I’ve only got 500 grams to go!” So this week I had a loss of 1.2kg!! I couldn’t believe it, I actually had to get back on the scales and check that it had the right reading! So I have a feeling that this will, sadly, be my last week of Personal Training with “Fitness Evolution”. I have absolutely loved every minute of my training – even when Norbert has been attempting to kill me with cardio. Won’t say the goodbyes just yet though… will save that for next week. Obviously, new progress photos are up as well!

Strength session was fantastic today. I think that having such a great result on the scales really gave me a mental boost which helped big time! Warmed up with some boxing and learned a new combo that i love, love, loved! (Left jab jab, right hit, left hook, right hit, left uppercut, right hit, right knee knee, left knee knee [if that makes any sense]). I did the heaviest weight on the bench press that I have ever done, and I didn’t even need Norbert to lift it for me, except for a tiny little bit on the very last press. I didn’t whinge or complain about it and it didn’t feel at any point that I couldn’t lift that weight. Possibly also has a lot to do with getting stronger, but definitely also had a lot to do with where my head was at. On the leg press today, I warmed up on 180 kg (the heaviest weight I have pushed in the past), followed but a set at 200 kg (which is equivalent to the combined weight of myself, my husband and all three of my girls), followed by another set at 220 kg! It was hard, but my legs just feel so strong at the moment,that I think I could have even gone a bit harder. A couple of weeks ago, I was cringing and doubting myself when Norbert would get another 20 kg weight and load it up, this week I was wanting more. Then we did some assisted chin up – which I found out today will work my abs, and flatten my stomach far more than sit ups ever will. We also did some single arm presses, and single arm cable rows. All in all, one of the best strength sessions I have ever had, hands down. I think that this is the sort of buzz that gym junkies get – I can understand their addiction!

Todays Exercise

- 1hr Strength Personal Training Session

- 20 minute gentle walk with family

Todays Food

Brecky – Tub of apricot Bornhoffen yoghurt (was feeling a bit queezy this morning and couldn’t think about eating anything much) also ate brecky very late!

Morning Tea – A plum

Lunch – Ham, lettuce, sprouts, tomato, cucumber, cheese, pickles on soy linseed bread, then a few nuts and sultanas

Afternoon Tea – A “Selena Cookie” ( I had visitors)

Dinner – Roast lamb with roasted pumpkin, sweet potato, carrots, peas, beans, broccoli, zucchini, corn kernels, and 1 piece of garlic bread

While I am almost at the goal of 5 kg weight loss with “Fitness Evolution” my end goal is to get to a good healthy 60kg. This will mean a few extra weeks of good food and working out on my own with no Personal Trainer. I have started looking at my options already. If I could stay on with “Fitness Evolution”  I would do it in a heart beat, this would be the most ideal option – but it just will not fit into my budget. There is a really great gym just down the road that Rhys uses, so I think I will pay for a casual visit once or twice a week for a bit of strength work (I will also drag Rhys along with me, so he can spot me and push me that little bit further than what I would push myself), and possibly even look into doing the odd P.T session just to give me that extra little bit every now and then. I will just wait and see what the future brings!

E.

Day 35

Today was fairly cruisy. I always manage to get nervous on Mondays in anticipation of being weighed tomorrow. I have a feeling that this week is going to be the one where I don’t have a good weight loss. I just feel that I have had too much of a thing for sugar this week, that if I do manage to have a loss it will be a miracle. In comparison to what I was eating a couple of months ago, the amount of sugar I have had this weeks doesn’t seem like much. But when you have have been eating no added sugar, to have the odd biscuit or two seems like a lot. I guess I will just have to wait and see what happens. If I get a bad result – I will know why!

I jumped on Selena’s x-trainer today and did a quick program. What I really love about the x-trainer is just how convenient it is! If I had the space in my house I would look at investing in one, but will just have to make do with borrowing Sel’s for now. I plan to also get down and do another lot of sit ups tonight. After I have done my blog I will go do that!

Todays Exercise

- x-trainer, 5 mins warm up, 10 mins intervals, 5 mins cool down (20 mins total)

- plan to do 3 sets of 10 sit up (same as last night)

Todays Food

Brecky – Oats with honey

Morning Tea – Fruit Salad (left over from yesterdays afternoon tea)

Lunch – massive salad with lettuce, sprouts, carrot, cherry toms, capsicum, cucumber, beans, low fat mozzarella, squeeze of mayo and chicken breast fillet (left over from dinner last night)

Afternoon Tea – Kiwi fruit

Dinner – Steak with beans, peas, corn, broccoli, zucchini, carrot and pumpkin

Remember to check back tomorrow to see the progress photos and whether or not I have achieved another weight loss! Wish me luck!

E.

Day 34 (Video of me welding, of all things!)

Here is some footage of me having a crack at welding… nothing at all to do with losing weight!

 

 

Thanks to Sydney DJ “RYZER” for letting us use his track ‘Fortitude’ for the soundtrack!

 

E.

Day 34 (Mothers Day)

It was Mothers Day today, which normally means breakfast in bed with eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice and croissants. But not this year. We still had the kids crawl into be with us while I open my presents – just no delightful breakfast. I did well for pressies this year, I scored a set of boxing gloves and pads (this way I can do a bit of basic boxing at home with Rhys when I am doing an exercise session), and a new bead for my Pandora bracelet. I also got some beautiful little gifts from my girls which they made for me themselves.

After spending the morning at home, we headed up to Rhys’ folks place to wish Pamela a happy Mothers Day. When we arrived, Rob (Rhys’ Dad) was busy working on is latest home project – welding some artistic metal work design for the railings around their new deck. This is a project that he has been working on for probably about the last month it has been very interesting seeing it all develop. Today Rob asked me if I fancied a go at welding. I figured “Why not!”. At first it was not what I expected welding to be like – not that I had ever thought about it much before. The first few times, when it would first arc up, it would give me a fright and make me jump! After a little while, I started to get the hang of it and I think that I may now have the bug for it! Rhys took some video footage, in it you will notice that Rob is wearing long sleeve shirt that buttons right up to protect his skin from the flare of the welding. I however – was just wearing my ordinary singlet top. I am now a lovely shade of red across my chest and and down the fronts of my arms, just from the intense heat and light from the flare, what a stunning singlet tan I am going to have!

Later that afternoon, we had an afternoon tea with my side of the family to celebrate Mothers Day… out came the “Selena Cookies”! I did quite well, and only ate two cookies as well as some delicious fruit salad with a small scoop of the home made fruit ice cream that Norbert had told me how to make. (Frozen banana, frozen berries, some honey and some no fat milk all in the blender. The banana gives it a creamy consistency and there is no added sugar and no fat in it). It was a really lovely afternoon, good food and great company – lots and lots of laughs!

By the time we wrapped it all up I still had not done any sort of exercise, so Rhys sent me out for a jog while he took care of things on the home front. Norbert wrote out in my plan for me to do a session where I jog for three minutes and rest for just one. I wasn’t sure how I would go, but the goal I set was to try my hardest to stick it out and do the times as planned. I don’t know what it was about today – perhaps because I had a day off yesterday and was quite well relaxed after such a lovely day, but the running seemed to be a lot easier today that it has been in the past. I did five reps of this followed by a walk to cool down. Once back inside I also managed to do some sit ups – thirty in total. Ten where I just go straight up and back down, then five where I pause about half way down and hold it for a few seconds before lying right back, another five where I pause about two thirds the way down for a couple of seconds before lying all the way back, then another ten regular ones to finish off. Finally some nice stretches, my calves are really tight at the moment. It was a good session today!

Todays Exercise

- Jog 3 mins then rest 1 min x 5 reps, 30 sit ups

Todays Food

Brecky – 1 piece of soy linseed toast with smoked salmon and  1 poached egg

Morning Tea – 1/2 a red capsicum

Lunch – Ham, pickles, lettuce, tomato, cheese on soy linseed bread

Afternoon Tea – 2 chocolate chip cookies, fruit salad and a scoop of home made ice cream (frozen berries, frozen banana and low fat milk)

Dinner – Chicken breast fillet, season and pan fried (very small amount of oil), beans, broccoli, zucchini, peas, corn, carrot

 So I managed not to pig out today – which is always a good thing! If you’re interested in see a quick video of me giving welding a go, it should be posted by tomorrow.

E.