The next step................

As you know I have really been struggling for if I am honest the last 18 months. Whilst I have maintained my weight within about 5kg I am no where near where I want to be and I have realised that I need a bit of a helping hand. My goal is to lose 10kg by May and I am not going to reach that if I keep going the way I am going. I want to give myself all the tools I can to help me reach my goals. Different things work at different times. As you know I have done 12WBT a few times with various success. So it's time to try something different. 

On Thursday I had a spare hour to myself while I was in town so I went and grabbed a mag and headed to the local bakery for a cup of tea. (that's all I had 2 pots of tea no yummy snacks) When I went to get a mag there were the usual trashy mags that I would normally go for but I wasn't in the mood to read about who was having affairs and who was the skinniest celebrity who lives on juice and activated nuts. So I grabbed a weight watchers magazine. I haven't read one for years. 

As I was reading the stories and recipes I remembered back about 10yrs ago when they started up WW in our town. It was great although when it first started there were so many of us that it took 2 hrs to do sign up and weigh in! Over the years I have tried it on and off. But like everything else I never really fully committed. 

Yesterday I was on my lunch break at work and thought I would check out the WW website. They had a great sign up special for online coaching. So I bit the bullet and signed up. I am finding my biggest struggle at the moment in food so this seems like a good fit. So I have joined on line and downloaded the app. 

One thing I do find hard is that all their recipes have points values not calories per serve. So I have put a few into MyFitnessPal to work out the calories. It's not that I am a HUGE calorie counter but I like to use it as a rough guide and point of reference. 

I will weigh in on Mondays and I am committing to you all now that I will NOT weigh myself everyday. I will ONLY step on the scales on Monday mornings (after my morning wee of course). This will be more of a struggle then controlling my eating I think. 

I have signed up for 3 months. My goal is to lose 10kg in those 3 months. I know that I can do it as I have done it before. It will be hard but with hockey training starting soon I will have lots of motivation to get out there and exercise. I also have a friends wedding in May so that is HUGE motivation. I am thinking of buying a dress for the wedding in a size 14 as my inspiration. As of this morning I am 90kg. So my goal is to be 80kg which will put me comfortably a size 14. Which to be honest is more important to me then the number on the scales. I know it doesn't always sound like that. But my goal has always been more about size, shape & being fit & healthy then numbers on the scales. 

For now I am off to do some housework and get organised as we have tennis championships today. So an afternoon of tennis will be my fitness for today. Fingers crossed it's not too hot today. 

Support, Support, Support!!!!

I have written before about how awesome and supportive my wonderful hubby is but this is about support from outside the house. I have had amazing support from my friends and family over the last 2 yrs. 

I even have friends who send me sweaty selfies!  I have a friend who is getting married in May and we have both made a pact to lose 10kg by her wedding. She lives in NSW so all our support is done via text messages. She sends me photo's like this saying 'Your Turn'. 

(I did get her permission to post this pic)

Given that she lives in NSW she always beats me to it. But not this morning.........I finally beat her!! I sent her my sweaty selfie saying 'Tag your it!' We have been texting eachother our weights as we weigh in on Wednesdays. As well as pics of our meals and healthy food options. She has been an AMAZING support!!! 

I have other friends who send me photo's after their runs & call me names because I am making them get of the couch and go for a run. I had a friend send me a message this morning asking me how far I was going to run today. She said she was going to do 6km. My plan was 3km but I told her 4km. So now that we had both said it we had to do it. 

I set out to do 4km........Then thought I would run to the 3km turn around point. I thought I would do the 4 and then walk home. I go to 4km and knew it was about 500m to a gateway so I thought I might aswell for 4.5km. I got to the gateway and figured I had come this far I might as well make it 5km. My first 5km run for the year. The last 100m was VERY hard!!! Actually the last 2km was a struggle but I got it done!!!

Sometimes your support may not come from the people you expect it to come from. Sometimes it comes from a friend you hadn't seen for 21yrs who lives on the other side of the country.  Sometimes it comes from your Champagne & Tequila buddy down the road. Sometimes it comes from a message in the morning asking how far your going to run. 

As long as you have support you can do anything!!!  

2015.................

So here it is February and I am finally doing my first blog post for the year.

I have been very busy working and trying to get organised for the start of the school year with my baby starting kindy this year. I did not really cope with this very well and it may have involved a packet of chocolate biscuits to get me through.

I am enjoying work and am very lucky to have amazing friends who have helped me out with babysitting over the holidays. I think planning their care was harder then actually working. This is the joys of having parents (grandparents) who still work and family who live a long way away. You have the rely on your friends and I am so lucky to live in such a great community.

Working has been great as I have had to use my brain again. While I never thought I would work in a bank again and it is not my career of choice I must admit I am enjoying being out of the house. I will finish my training tomorrow which will mean that I will only be working as a casual. While that means an irregular income it also means I can spend more time with the kids and work when it fits in with the family.

As far as fitness, healthy eating & weight loss go well...........................next subject..................

No really to be honest I have completely lost my running/ fitness mojo. I could blame the hot weather and full time work but they are just excuses. One good thing about working it that I don't get bored and am not snacking all day. On the other side people buy yummy treats at work and it is VERY hard to resist!!!

I bought an eating and fitness plan online which is called Bikini Body Guide. Now whilst my plan is to wear a bikini comfortably at sometime before I am 40 I didn't buy the plan thinking that I would be running around in one within 12 weeks! I do love that it is about strength and toning as well as a bit of cardio. The plan was/is to do that 3 days a week  -
Monday - Leg Day
Wednesday - Arms & Abs
Friday - Fullbody
Then Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday - Running/Riding

I really just need to get started!!!  I have done a few of the workouts and they really do work!! I do have muscles under there somewhere.

I am still looking into doing my cert III & IV in fitness but I am trying to be realistic about the time that would take and the time I have available. I am giving up some of my volunteering work this year. I have finally realised that I can't do it all and something has to give.

So anyway that it where I am at. What are everyone else's plans for 2015?? I haven't set out specific goals for the year just yet I just want to get cranking and get stuck into it. I have 3 weddings in the next 12 months and my goal is to be looking fabulous at all of them. Especially at my brothers wedding.

my new favourite hashtag #sweatingfortheweddings

2014 Wrap Up

So 2014 is almost over and we are heading off tomorrow for 3 relaxing weeks at the beach!!! I can't wait it is my favourite time of the year. I LOVE Christmas and relaxing at the beach. We are camping at a caravan park with my parents and my brother, his partner and daughter will join us for some of the time too.

I thought now was as good a time as any to do a bit of reflecting. Whilst I haven't achieve all I set out to in 2014 I am still pretty happy with where I am at.

Weight Loss
First and foremost let me get this chapter done.................as you know I haven't had the loss that I had last year and I have struggled all year. Well actually not really I started the year around 87kg I got down to 84kg but majority of the year I have sat around the 88/87kg mark. Whilst my goal was to hit the magical 70kg mark. I am super happy with being able to maintain my weight for 12 months!!!! I know that by doing this slowly and healthily I have made life changes and not been on a diet.

Fitness/Running
I completed my second half marathon knocking about 30min off my time from last year. It was much more enjoyable this year as I ran with a great friend of mine and we stayed together the whole way. I also got to watch another great friend cross the finish line and give her the biggest hug. (even if she was cursing me at the time) During hockey season I worked hard on my fitness and speed. This year I was defnitely the fastest and fitness I have been since I was about 14!! I joined a wonderful community of Facebook called Running Mums Australia. It has grown into a huge community of mums who run. From people starting out to marathons and ultra marathon runners. I have learnt so much from these wonderful supportive ladies. I also finally went to my first Parkrun event. Oh how I wish I was in Perth at 8am every Saturday morning. The last 10 weeks we have been doing group fitness. I have worked on my strength and core muscles. I went from not being able to do 1 push up on my toes to doing 20!!!!! I can hold a plank for over 90 seconds and I can do sit ups!!!! (& burpees)

Me
Towards the end of the year we started our little fitness group in town. We would meet twice a week to do some circuit work. It was so much fun and on average there was between 6-8 of us most sessions. What this did was make me realise how much I was to pursue and career as a personal trainer. However to study you need money as nothing is free. So I have just last week started working as a casual Bank Teller which is what I did before I had kids. I love that it is casual so I can fit it in with my kids life.

So what are the plans for 2015?????
Well it will be a year of changes.............Bugalugs starts kindy :( which means my baby will be out of the house 2 days a week! I'm not too sure that I am ready for that. Actually I know that I am not ready for that!!! I will be working which will be a great distraction. I plan to start my study. I will be taking part in Ride for a Cure in October. Which is a 200km bike ride over 2 days raising money for the Harry Perkins Institute of Cancer Research.  I was inspired by friend who participated this year. I am excited for us to raise lots of money to help fight this horrific disease.

I will send some of the holidays making a plan of attack for 2015. I love having holidays at this time of the year so you have lots of time to work out a plan for the new year ahead. When I get back I will let you know what the plan is. I am really hoping to get back into the mind set I had at the start of 2013.

Thank You for putting up with me this year. My not so regular blog posts and my abundance of sweaty selfies.

Wishing everyone a very Safe, Happy & Merry Christmas and an Awesome 2015!!!!

The Ups and Downs of the week that was.

I know it's only Thursday but I feel like it has been a busy week already and tomorrow is going to be another busy one.

I looked into getting my Certificate III and Certificate IV on Fitness which would enable me to do what I love and hopefully make a bit of extra $$$. I spoke to a great company that are VERY VERY  understanding of the fact that I live in the middle of nowhere. They are really flexible in their learning structure. I can do it by correspondence and go to Perth when I can fit it in to do practical assessments, I can call tutors whenever I need to, I can do it all at my own pace over a 12 months time frame. PERFECT?!?!?! Well it was until I asked how much this perfect plan would cost. Let's just say it aint cheap. But I was still thinking it was doable as long as I could raise the money myself. (not take it out of the family budget)

So remember I said I had applied for a job? Well..............I was hoping more then ever I would get it as I could use that money to fund my study. Cos let's face it who just has $6000 laying around. Yep that's right 6000 big ones. I got an e mail yesterday to say that I had been unsuccessful. To say I was disappointed was an understatement. I think I was more disappointed that I didn't get an interview. And I could see my dreams of studying and getting qualified going down the drain. :(

I have not had the greatest week food/weight wise either. I have had very little energy and seem to be eating us out of house and home. I went to group fitness on Tuesday and again today. I was so thankful for these girls as had it not been for the commitment we have all made I would not have gone. Especially today. All I wanted to do was sit on the couch, watch trashing TV & eat trashy food!!!!

BUT I had a fantastic morning. We decided to record our results for Push Ups, Sit Ups & Plank. We do each exercise for 1 minute. Except today for the plank we all kept going to see how long we could hold it for. We are going to do it again in 4 weeks so we can see how much we have progressed. I got a HUGE surprise. Here is what I did today

Push Ups
15 toes 6 knees
TOES!!! Did you see that???   15 PUSH UPS ON MY TOES!!!!!!!

Sit Ups
22

Plank 
1:30
Yep 1 MINUTE 30 SECONDS!!!!!

It totally made my day and week. Love seeing these Non Scale Victories and it helps put things into perspective. It's a great incentive to keep on keeping on.

Also harvest is ALMOST over which means hubby will be home more. I really want to get out running again and I am planning to switch from evening runs to morning runs. Also get my puppy trained to run with me.

So thanks for listening to my ramblings again. I said I would blog more and I am going to keep that promise.

Finally!!!!!!

OK so before I start put the kettle on and settle down with a cuppa..........it's been a while and there is lots to catch up on. Go on I'll wait......maybe go to the toilet while you wait for the kettle to boil. ;)

Waiting

Waiting

Waiting

Welcome back I told you I would wait :)

So I have just realised that my last blog post was on 30th July. Well what has happened since then........
Firstly we lost the hockey grand final this year :( We were beaten by a better team on the day. I think we partied harder then we did last year when we won.

Anyway moving on from that. We held our half marathon again this year and it was another great turn out and we had a terrible head wind but were lucky to finish before the rain came in. We raised almost $1000 and it was a great community event.

I have started meeting some local ladies at the oval to do a bit of a circuit work out twice a week. It is great to do it with other people as it help keen you on track and it goes quickly when you are talking/laughing together.

I didn't really do the last round of 12WBT. I am not sure what is happening with my weight. Well actually I do. I got down to 84kg but then 1 or 2 weekends away and it was back up. So at the moment here is how it goes. Monday 88.1kg (that's the last 2 mondays) but normally around 88kg by Friday I get it back down to 87.1kg or 86.8kg somewhere around there. but hen the weekend happens and up we go again. This has been happening the last few months. I am not exercising anywhere near as much as I was during hockey or training for the run. I am focusing a bit more on strength training and all round fitness.

I also did something I promised myself I wouldn't do. I bought some shorts in a bigger size. All but one pair of my shorts are size 14 and while they fit they also produce a muffin top!! They are comfortable but I am not comfortable with how they look. Jeanswest had 40% off  so I ordered 2 pairs of size 16 shorts. I have realised that I was caught up in sizes just as much as I was caught up in the number on the scales. After a friend told me she has clothes in her cupboard ranging from size 16 to size 8 I had a bit of a light bulb moment when I realised it's about the fit and being comfortable rather then the number on the tag.

During the last month or so I have been thinking about what I am going to do once my little Bugalugs heads off to school next year. I have applied for a casual job to keep my mind ticking over and earn some of my own money. I have plans for that money..............I am going to get qualified to be a Personal Trainer. It is not a cheap course but I feel better using 'my' money to pay for it.  Doing fitness with the girls has made me realise how much I want to do this for a living. I really enjoy it. I finally know what I want to be when I grow up.

I am at a bit of a loss with the whole weight loss thing. On one hand I am thinking this is the size I am meant to be and I am pretty happy with the fact that whilst I have yoyo'd a little bit this year for the most part I have kept 20kg off for almost 18months. But I also know that I can reach my goals I set so long ago and losing another 20kg it totally achievable. It will be harder but it is totally doable. I am not going to make any GRAND statements about cutting out this or that or setting massive goals. I am just going to keep an eye on what I put in my mouth and do my work outs. Maybe try and get in a few more runs once harvest is finished and hubby is back to working normal hours.

Oh and if you remember when this whole 'Becoming Nikki' project started I had a little deal with my brother. Last Christmas I fit into a pair of size 12 shorts and a size 10 top. By fit I mean I could get them on and done up. I don't know that I could have sat down without popping a button but a deal is a deal. As part of the deal Rob was going to pay for me to get a maple leaf tattoo. Something I have wanted since 1998 when I spent a year in Canada as an exchange student. Well pay day finally came and I couldn't be happier.

And here it is!!!!

I added in the kids initials and it is on my lower back 'tramp stamp' but I LOVE it!!! Another reason to lose weight and be comfortable in a bikini. I want to show this baby off. 

Right so now we are all caught up and you have had a cuppa and a bit of timeout whilst reading my ramblings. I plan to get back into my blogging so look out for some more 'me' time and a cuppa catching up with a friend. Although I promise they won't all be this long. 

Looking Forward/ Looking Back

Hey There...............remember me.............I know it's been a while.............a month to be exact!! What have you been upto??  I could spend this post telling you about my last month which included an AMAZING holiday with great friends, talking about the hockey games we have won & lost, telling you about the running I have been doing or the wonderful new recipes I have found.

But that is in the past and I am moving onwards and upwards as I start another round of 12WBT on Monday. So time to set some goals!!!!

36hrs Later..................

This post has been sitting here open for a day and a half as I was procrastinating putting my goals up here. I have done it a lot in the past and never really met them in the time frame I have set out. So I was feeling a little deflated.

Then I went on a run last night. Always a good way to clear the head. I felt crappy all day so was just going to do a little 3km run so that I could feel a little better. I decided to do my 1km time trial for this round of 12WBT. It was hard but I pushed myself and I SMASHED it. 4min 53sec!! I was shattered afterwards but decided to do a little detour on the way home and ran an extra km.

I was thinking of how far I am have come in the last 18months. Here are a few stats.

January 2013                                                  NOW
1km time trial 8min 25sec                                4min 53                 3min 32sec faster

Total body measurements 448.5cm                   398cm                   50.5cm lost (although don't think I was                                                                                                             measuring properly in the beginning)

Weight    106.6kg                                             85.6kg                  21kg REMOVED

Size 18/20                                                        14/16                   I was 18/20 in fat section now I'm 14/16                                                                                                     in normal section


Sometimes you have to look at how far you have come to see where to go to now!!!

So as far as goals for this round go..............
Of course I am still determined to hit the 80kg!!! I am also planning to run our local half marathon again at the end of September. So I will be training for that. I was just going to do the 10km run but I have decided why not. So I will be training for that. Along with the pointy end of the hockey season. I will try and blog more to keep me accountable and on track.

I am excited by the new recipes and option with this round and I am determined to make the last half of 2014 as great as the first half of 2013 was!!! Bring on summer and being comfortable in bathers!!!!