Day 1 of FTC

Today is the first day of the Fenix Transformation Challenge (FTC).

I had a setback with the trainer yesterday for my first session at the gym.  When I got there and filled in the forms, as I have high blood pressure and also had the torn artery, she needs a letter from my Dr before going up my exercise plan.  So rather than training yesterday, which I was hoping was my first day at the gym, we spent the 45 minutes chatting about the transformation challenge, doing my weight and also my measurements.

I was absolutely mortified to see that my weight was now 88.7kgs (195 pounds).  I was only 90kgs (198 pounds) when I gave birth to my son.  How on earth did I get this big!  Anyway I will not be this big for long, I can't wait to reveal my results in 12 weeks time.  I don't have my measurements as she didn't give those to me and there were so many, I just can't remember.  My next session at the Gym is Monday, so I will ask her for those then so I can share them here.

When I hopped on the scales I did let out a little swear word as I did truly get a shock.  She did say  "well you do have your shoes on, they add weight, about 700grams (1.5pounds).  I said "oh come on, LOL.  That means I still weigh 88kgs (194 pounds), that's still disgusting).  Anyway I am so embarrassed, I will not be revealing my initial weight to anyone.

I have just had a thought though.  When I win this challenge and win the $5000, my weight will be revealed, my starting weight will be revealed!  I am hoping that won't bother me as much once I am 28.7kgs lighter.  My initial goal was 20kgs, but now seeing that I am 8.7kgs heavier than I thought, I am now having to set a new goal.  I don't know that I will get the whole 28.7kgs off in 12 weeks, people do lose 20 to 30 kgs so it is possible.  I will see how I go.

Anyway this morning is my first day.  As I am not able to train at the gym until I receive clearance from my Dr (which I will get, Monday), I am off for a walk today.  Have to get moving and start my meal plan.  My first meal this morning was a protein shake.  Then I am off for my walk and they out for breakfast with friends, I will be armed with what I can and can not eat, so I don't break the program on the first day.

Will update tonight with more details on my eating plan.

Tomorrow

It's still two days until the big 12 week challenge begins on Saturday but tomorrow is going to be exciting.

Tomorrow is my first appointment at the Gym after joining up a couple of days ago.  I will meet my personal trainer for the first time and she will do my program for me and do my before photos and measurements for the challenge (eeekkk, not looking forward to that).

So tonight I am getting out my work out clothes, get my outfit all organised.  My gym clothes that have been getting dusty up in my closet for well over a year how.  I have just had a terrifying thought!  What if they don't fit, last time I wore them I was 10kgs (22 pounds) lighter!  Oh well, they won't be tight for long and there isn't any point in spending money on new gym clothes when I will only need them at that size for a month or two.  So I will be in skin tight gym clothes, guaranteed that I will have a rather large muffin top (such a bad look!) but there isn't anything I can do.  So whilst technically the challenge doesn't start until Saturday, I will be starting tomorrow with my first gym workout!

I will let all of you know tomorrow night how it all went.  I will probably be very sore, LOL

Getting Ready...

After joining the gym yesterday and signing up for the Fenix 12 week Transformation Challenge, the next step was being assigned a trainer and getting an appointment set up.

My new trainer called me today and we have set up an appointment for Friday.  There we are going to do my before photos, measurements, my diet, get my diary, get my challenge tshirt and do my workout program.  I can't wait.  I am actually really getting quite excited about this.  I know it's going to be hard work, but i am actually quite driven to win that $5000.  If I don't win I won't be disappointed as I will have the new me, a fitter, healthier, happier me and that is prize enough, but really, $5000 wouldn't go astray.  I will need that money to buy myself a new wardrobe as none of my current clothes will fit me!

I will update you all on Friday after my meeting at the gym with my trainer.  I will reveal my measurements (yes I will be embarrassed and mortified to reveal those, but the upside is that I will get to reveal my amazing measurements in 12 weeks at the end of the challenge).

I Did It

Today I joined the gym.  Yes my days of indecision, will I.... won't I.  Well that is the sort of unmotivated attitude that got me in this overweight mess in the first place.

See I don't eat really badly.  Yes I love dark chocolate.  But I don't drink soft drink (soda, pop), I don't have a fridge/freezer filled with ice cream, pantry filled with chips (crisps).  I don't eat lots of fast food or fried food.    It's my portion sizes and my complete lack of movement!  And possibly not eating enough for so many years that my metabolism is totally dormant.  In my house we always eat whole grain bread, and not wheat bread, organic ancient grain bread filled with whole grains and seeds.  We eat organic brown rice, we eat organic spelt pasta (and brown, not white), lots of fresh vegies and fruit.

Eg: for breakfast this morning I had a banana, a boiled egg, a slice of ancient grain toast and (yes some butter, but come on, I can have some luxuries, LOL).  For lunch I had a rice cake with half an avocado and a slice of lite jarlsberg cheese and I have had a row of dark organic chocolate.  That's it all day.  I now have turkey breast in the oven for dinner which we will have with steamed vegetables.

So... my biggest problem is my lack of movement (and my diet to a degree, it's not all just exercise).  What are we supposed to do each day?  10,000 steps?  I have probably done about 2000 today.  Sitting at the computer working and now writing my blog, LOL.

Today I marched into Fenix Fitness gym near where I live and joined the gym.  I get three personal training sessions with that to start and can purchase more.  But what I did sign up for along with my membership was the...

The challenge is for 12 weeks.  We get assigned a trainer and there are group training sessions with others participating in the challenge.  We have to have our before photos done and measurements before Saturday when the challenge starts.  We have to submit a little essay about why we have participated in the challenge and what we would like to get out of it.  I don't know all of the details completely yet as I have not met with my trainer, but I believe we also get a food diary of some description.  

So I will be posting regularly about my progress.  I am hoping that over the 12 weeks that I will develop new habits and rid myself of some of my old habits that have me in the place that I am currently in.  You can also win $5000 if you win the challenge, so yes, I will be aiming for that, but my main goal is to form new habits, the habit of regular exercise mainly.  To get my blood pressure down and ultimately get off my blood pressure medication.  Feel more energetic and become a much healthier happier me!

So wish me luck. (well I won't need luck as it isn't about luck, LOL)

12 Week Transformation Challenge

This coming Saturday starts a 12 week transformation challenge at a gym just up the road from me.  I know of two people doing it, another mother from my son's school and a friend of mine's sister.  I would really love to do this.  I know it will be hard, but they provide a menu plan, which is apparently a eat 6 times a day plan.  You exercise 6 times a week, 3 days of weights and 3 days of cardio.

I don't know what is stopping me from signing up.  Maybe it's the possibility of failure, the embarrassment of being so unfit when I start or that I won't be able to do it.  They say that the 12 weeks is what you need to change a habit or pick up a new habit.  So that by the end you will have your exercise habit formed and a new eating plan formed.  It is apparently a new way of life, a makeover of mind, body and spirit. 

I will need to sign up this week.  It's $125 to do it and you must be a member of the gym.  Will I do it?  I really should!

Hi Everyone

Well it's been a long time between posts.

I have arrived back at my blog to find a new interface on blogger so am trying to find my way around it.   I am posting on what looks like a totally new screen so I hope it looks the same once I publish the post.  How does everybody else like the new blogger interface?

I am about to get seriously get back into my journey to getting healthy.  I will share all about it very soon.

My Walk for Breast Cancer Research.

How was everybodies Mothers Day?  I hope all of you had a wonderful day, were pampered and spoilt.

I was up early on Mothers Day like I have been for the last few years.  Every year we go in the Mothers Day Classic walk for breast cancer research.  The event is run (and walked) all around Australia.  There is a lot of information about the even in my previous blog post.

So up at 5.30am to get ready for the walk.  I had to pin all of our numbers to our tops.


We set off at about 6.45 where we were being taken by bus over to the event.  We go every year in a large group and we all meet up, walk or run, then come back to a hotel near by and have breakfast.   We arrived at the walk at about 7.30am and watched the runners take off first.  They had somebody there getting the crowd to warm up.

Warm up guy, getting the runners warmed up.

Off they go....

Mum's, Dad's, Kids, Grandma's, Grandpa's, Prams, it was for everybody.

It is such a fabulous atmosphere.  There are families, children in prams, people in wheelchairs, people recovering from breast cancer, people walking for a family member who has lost their life to breast cancer.  There are people dressed in funny costumes, the is lots and lots of pink.  Pink as far as the eye can see.

Pink angels in their halos

Crowds of pink everywhere.

I do have to say that there is one thing and one thing only that I can not stand about this event and this is what they are.....

Port-a-loos.... YUK

Do they need any explanation?  I don't like public toilets at the best of times, but one thing that really really makes me grosse is port-a-loos.  I was that desperate to go to the toilet at one stage but I just couldn't go, I just couldn't go into a port-a-loo.  So I held on until we got back to the hotel and ran for my life, LOL (only just made it too).

So we participated in the walk, not the run.  It was just fantastic.  We headed off at about 8.30am with thousands of other people.

We are at the start for the walk... waiting.... waiting...

Off we go... Under the start line.

It was just such a fantastic atmosphere but at the same time very emotional.  There were times when I would find myself tearing up when reading a tribute that somebody had pinned to their back and I would be walking behind reading.  There was also a number of tribute walls which also were very moving.

One of the tribute walls

Close up of the tribute wall.

Another touching tribute.

The whole walk was just so fun.  Walking around seeing so many different costumes, from fairies, strange pink outfits to a kangaroo.

The person in that suit must have been so hot!

Another spectacular thing was walking alongside the beach with the sun rising above.  Just magical and a perfect way to spend Mothers Day with my family and friends.

Sun rising as we walk.

The Beach we walked alongside.

We crossed the finish line and we all got a goody bag, a medal and a bottle of water.  The event was very well organised, there were food stalls, jumping castles for the kids, face painters, a band and entertainers in the massive park right on the beach.

The band played.

After the race, just enjoying the morning.

All in all it was a really lovely morning, I really enjoyed spending the morning at this very special event with my Mum and my family and many of my wonderful friends.

I can't wait until the event next year!

Thanks for sharing my journey.....

Top Mommy Blogs

I would love some votes in Top Mommy Blogs.  You just have to click on the link to register the vote.

Thank you so much in advance.