4 weeks into challenge

It's been 4 weeks since I started my 12 week challenge. If I'm honest, I really only started a week ago when I started the nutrition plan and the gym program. But I'm going to stick to the original 12 weeks.

So last night I squeezed back into my too small togs for Trent to take the 4 week photos. I actually didn't want to look at them because I was really worried that there would be absolutely no difference. And when I plucked up the courage to have a look I couldn't really notice much change. That was until I stitched these photos next to the ones from 4 weeks ago!

I'm REALLY excited!! There has actually been improvement!! Unbelievable!! All this salad, fruit, tuna and protein powder is actually doing something! I think the most noticeable change is the back of me legs. Take a look for yourself.....

Definitely less cellulite and weight on the saddlebags!  Back and shoulders are not much different but I have only just started working on the upper body.

Here are the other comparisons.....

Tummy is noticeably slimmer and probably less weight in the face too.

Other than my legs I can't see too much difference in this shot.

The improvement in my legs and tummy have definitely given me the incentive to keep going. I must admit that the diet is a real struggle some days. For a girl who doesn't eat seafood (at all) I literally have to force myself to eat tuna and fish. But I figure if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it the whole way - no shortcuts. And knowing that I'm not getting anything else to eat makes it just that little bit easier!!

Circus act

What a week! Feel like a juggler at the circus just managing to keep all the balls in the air! This has been my first full week of training/eating. Never to do things by halves, this is what I am trying to do (in no particular order)

1. Train for 10km run;
2. Weekly PT session in the gym
3. Weights program
4. Healthy eating plan
5. June crunch challenge

My head is spinning! And at present I'm afraid the first ball to drop is the mothering type. I fed Poppy a sandwich for dinner last night! Time to stop and get things sorted because that can't continue!

Here is my attempt at organising my week:

All good for my stuff, now I just need to add to it so that I am mothering as well!

My main problem is that the eating plan is not working for the rest of the family. Trent does way too much training and literally starves himself trying to follow this. And I also can't expect poppy to eat broccoli, cauli and asparagus 4 nights a week. She's a great kid but not that great!!!

So I need to look at the dinner meals and work out what I can easily add to them so that everyone is happy.

On a more positive note, I had my first PT session on Wednesday. Michael has designed a 3 day/week weights program and 4 days running. I will do the weights myself 2 times a week and the third session is with him. I did the full program for the first time yesterday and it was hard! Needless to say I'm very sore today! But of course, because I don't do anything the easy way.......I decided to tee up a run with some of the Kindy mums for this morning. Yep, knowing how sore I'd be. You can call me stupid now!

But it was great! There were 3 of us and 2 prams. 7km run which is my longest so far. Relatively flat track but a few little pinches which made me remember how hard running with a pram is. Well, by the half way mark I was starting to wonder how I was going to get back to the car! Thankfully at about the 5.5km mark, Halli offered to push the pram for me. God send!!! I walked for a couple of little rests which I am disappointed about but I know that I'm not too far off. Give me a couple more weeks and I'll be good as gold. Now, I'm struggling to get up the stairs to put Matilda to bed!

Also went to Mass Nutrition today to get a protein powder. Have no idea what I'm doing but the girl in the shop was very helpful. She suggested a certain powder that is all natural which she thought would be best because I'm breastfeeding. So I'll give it a go and see what happens - cue 'ripped muscles' music!

Anyway, better go because remember at the start of this entry I said 'mothering' was the first ball to drop? Well, I have a laundry full of washing that's been sitting there all week. I guess it's not going to wash itself......bugger!

Nutrition makeover Day 1

First day down and it went surprisingly well. I'm really glad I spent the time last night cutting everything up and getting it all ready because it made it really easy today. I actually think that I ate more today than I normally would but that's a good thing as I often skip lunch and then eat crap in the late afternoon. So all good so far!

I also booked in to start my PT sessions! I managed to book in with Michael which is the trainer I wanted and will meet with him next Wednesday to cut about goals etc. very excited!!!

Nutrition makeover

I have just taken delivery of the first food order for my new 'diet'. I have never been on a diet in my life and this isn't a diet but rather an eating plan. I found it online on a body sculpting website and thought I'd give it a go. The reason I picked this one is because it wasn't made up of a whole lot of weird and wacky foods that I wouldn't ordinarily eat! As you can see, lots and lots of whole foods!

So I've just spent the last 90 minutes, weighing, measuring, slicing and dicing. Yep, you heard right - weighing and measuring! For the next 4 weeks I'm going to become one of those freaks who weighs their food!!! Exciting!!!! At least it will be exciting until the novelty wears off!

Why am I doing it? Because everyone who knows anything says that getting in shape is done in the kitchen. So I'm basically out to see if it works. I'm going to give it 4 weeks to start with and see how I go. I'd like to think I will do it for longer than that but I'm starting with a small, achievable goal!

Along with the nutrition plan is a new body sculpting gym program! Basically upper and body workouts to be done 3-4 times a week. I'm going to combine it with at least 45mins of cardio per day. I'm also doing a 4 week crunch challenge, working up to 130 crunches by June 30!

Basically I'm committing to 4 weeks (to start with) to see if it actually does anything. If it does, I'll keep going. If I doesn't.........?

Of course I need to be careful as I am still exclusively breastfeeding Matilda and I really don't want my milk supply to be affected. So I'll keep a close eye on that one.

My inspiration

I saw one of the mums from Poppy's Kindy at the gym last week. We were both surprised to see each other because neither of us knew that we went to the same gym. She told me that she hated coming to the gym and although she had been a member for about 2 years, she doesn't go very often. She, along with the other mums who were involved in the conversation, was amazed when I admitted to going every day.  Since then I have seen her at the gym a number of times and she has told me that I inspired her to go. That really brings a smile to my face because I love to think that my active lifestyle is a good example to others and to think that it inspires other people to be active makes me feel great! Lets just hope it inspires my girls when they are old enough!!

It has got me thinking about what or who inspires me. Without doubt, my biggest inspiration is my husband Trent. His attitude to life is simply amazing. He is a massive believer that anything is possible if you imagine it and work hard to achieve it. He has done 4 ironman triathlons and too many half ironman and Olympic distance triathlons to count. He is never completely happy with his results even though what he does is awesome. He is always striving to do better. Trent's attitude and commitment to living a healthy and active lifestyle is contagious and it would be impossible for it not to rub off on me!

Trent supports everything I want to do. If I happen to mention something out loud, he jumps on it and gets me believing that it is possible. That's what happened with the marathon. He knew it was something I wanted to do and he helped me train, pick a race, and most importantly, believe that I could do it! I think he was almost as proud of me as I was of myself when I actually did it!

Having a supportive partner is so important when you have 'athletic' goals. Managing and balancing family, work and training commitments can be a real challenge. It can be even more challenging when both husband and wife have goals!!! Fitting my training in with Trent's ironman training can definitely be a logistical nightmare. But we both support each other so much that we make it happen. We have prioritised exercise in our life and it has become just as important as eating and sleeping. I often wonder the impact this is having on our children but I'll delve into that issue at a later date!

So a massive shout out to my inspiration - thanks a million Trent :)

Directionless!

Lost, pointless, scatty, disorganised. This is how I'm feeling about my training at the moment.  I'm still going to the gym every day (almost) but I don't feel like there is any purpose or direction to what I am doing. I pretty much just turn up and do whatever I feel like doing - walking, cycling, rowing, stairs, weights, core strength - with no consistent effort on any of these.  Im pretty sure this approach is not going to get me anywhere!

Im not sure why I'm feeling like this. Perhaps it's because:

1. I get bored easily so just change things up

2. I'm not training for anything in particular

3. Biding my time until I can run again

I suspect it is a combination of these 3 things.  My problem is that running is my number one. It gives me the results I want and in a relatively fast time frame. Without it, I don't really know what to do. And I don't believe that anything else I do will give me the same results in the same time. Please let me know if I'm wrong!

I think it might be time to book in a couple of PT sessions just o get me on track. I'm not necessarily looking for them to write me a weights/cardio program, but rather a 4 week, 8 week, 12 week plan with some goals to achieve. And of course, I'm sure they'll have some great suggestions for keeping me on track.

I'm sure I could probably do all this myself but I think I need the PT there more as motivation. If I know I'm seeing them every week, I will make sure I've done the work. Accountability if you like.

My races

2012

January

Brisbane Resolution Run - 11km - 1.01.54

BRRC - 15km - 1.28.16

February

BRRC half marathon - 1.58.09

March

Twilight half marathon UQ - 2.01 (ran for 1hr before the race)

April

Canberra marathon - April 2012 time: 4.10.51

May

Noosa half marathon - 2.01.22 (PB 53min for first 10km)

September

Twilight Wynnum - 10km- 1.06.47 (19 weeks pregnant)

2011
Summer Run Series Hyatt Coolum - 10km - time unknown

2008

Sonomas Sandgate Fun Run - 10km - time unknown

Intraining Easter Classic 10km - 1.00.30

Brisbane Half Marathon - 2.06.34

2006

Noosa Triathlon - 3.16.45

2005

Gold Coast 10km - 59.24

Jetty to Jetty 10km - 59.04

2002

Bridge to Brisbane 12km - 1.12.

Noosa 10km - 57.59

QTS Enticer triathlon (200/5/1) - 27.02


Times in red are PB's

Number of 10km - 7
Number of half marathons - 4
Number of marathons - 1