New Years - No resolutions

I was one of those people that would make resolutions every new year and like every one else I never kept them!  The usual culprits were always there, lose weight, get fit, stop smoking.  Yeah right.

Last year I did things a little different and NO resolutions but instead I did a 2012 bucket list.

1. Scrap a page a month 
2. Audition for a stage show
3. Perform a stand up comedy routine
4. Establish a vege garden

I did it! (almost  ;) )  What should have been the easiest one to do (#1) is the one I failed at!

The doing a stand up routine was by far the scariest.  Here is a video, excuse the quality.

Kelly's stand up comedy debut

Not only did I audition for a stage show, I auditioned for 3 and got a role in every show.  The most challenging and rewarding was my role as Annelle in Steel Magnolias.  Not only were there lots of lines but I had to do them all with a Southern US accent.

Looking at photos from the shows, and video of the stand up and having my photo in the local paper a few times is I think what lit the wick to finally admit I needed to do something about my weight.  It's not nice to think "Yuck I look so fat!" every time you see yourself in a photo or on film.

The "bucket list" concept seemed to work for me so I'm doing it again for 2013.

1. Scrap a page a month...
2. Visit a country I have never been to before (I'm thinking Cambodia or Vietnam)
3. Direct a play
4. Do the City to Surf half marathon
5. Reach goal clothing size of 10/12

Let me know what you have on your 2013 bucket list!

I'm not a morning person

The perfect fantasy morning for me goes something like this...
I awake after falling asleep easily and peacefully with a gentle yawn and stretch.  I roll over and there on my bedside table is a fresh brewed double shot flat white with skinny milk.  I'm also alone in my bed because unlike most mornings I haven't awoken to two extra little people in my bed with a toe up my nose and a knee wedged in my butt crack.

Reality bites.

That's me on the left.

I've started trying to get up early and hit the 5.45am group fitness classes at my gym.  I think my strike rate sits around 50%.  One morning I actually got up when the alarm went off, went downstairs to get dressed and... woke up on the couch an hour later. Oh dear. Fail!

The gym I go to has a bit of a hiatus at the moment for the holidays on classes but not wanting to break the momentum of (trying to) get up and get physical early in the mornings I've decided on early morning walk/runs.

Last night I googled for the sunrise time and decided I wanted to be up to see it. 4.53am. Ah CRAP!
The alarm went of at 4.30am, I sl...ooo...ww...ll..yyy opened one eye. Ugh! It's raining?! Five minutes later it's stopped.  Internal conversation "I don't want to get up" "GET UP!" "But I'm tired" "Kelly, get that ass outta bed and JFDI!!" "Ok, Ok! I'm up!"

And I'm so glad I did.  What a reward to see this.

The view from right outside my front door

Hello Sun!

Morning rainbow

I did a 5km wun and am now facing the day feeling fantastic.

PS.

Wun: (Noun. Adjective)
Not a walk, not quite a run. "Wun Kelly, Wun!"

Scales and why I don't have them... yet.

One of the things I was anxious about with the 12wbt was the requirement to weigh in each week as I have not had a good relationship with scales in the past.  Correction.  My behaviour in the past with scales has been... let me just tell you the story.

I used to own scales. I used to get on the scales... at least a half a dozen times every day.  I'd weigh myself when I first got up, before I ate, after I ate, after I went to the toilet, before I exercised, after I exercised. Basically if I had done anything that could affect my weight I would get on my scales.

Dangerous.  Eating disorder dangerous.  If the numbers went up "too much" after a meal (and too much could be 100g) I would make myself vomit, or do 100 crunches, or run on the spot for half an hour or I would binge.

I realized myself my attitude and behaviour were dangerous and I got help.  As mentioned in a previous post I have depression so I was able to get treatment through my existing counsellor.

So how does this fit in with the 12wbt program when it is suggested you weigh yourself weekly in the morning while naked?  Well I don't do that.
I do weigh in but I use the scales at the gym and obviously weigh in my workout clothes.  They're a pretty cool and liberal bunch but I doubt I'd get away with the weigh naked thing!

You know what?  The scales don't scare me in the slightest now. I know it's not all about the one number.  I love this picture that a friend posted on Facebook recently.

I'm in a far better place now. I think even if I had a gain I would be able to tell myself it's ok because I can now do the Pump squat track with 15kg/do almost 50 knee push ups in a minute/can make it through an entire Attack class without having to fake the need to go for a pee.

I still don't trust myself to have scales in my house in case I wanted to get on them every day but they no longer rule me like they did. Yay me!

Inspiration

Humans are by nature usually a social bunch.  We emulate heroes.  We tend to follow peers.  Most of us are sheep not shepherds.

There are lots and lots of people in my own life that inspire me to varying degrees and in different ways in many areas of my life.  This post I wanted to share with you 2 of the people that are inspiring for me on my 12wbt journey.

1.  Group fitness Superstar Instructor Denise at my gym Inspired Life Kalgoorlie.  She is so outgoing, funny and she blows me away with her strength and fitness yet she never makes me feel like I'm out of place in class.  Even if everyone else in the class are being superstar planksters up on their toes I feel perfectly ok doing the best I can on my knees.  She encourages me to keep going and to push that little bit harder.  What I love most about her is that she seems to love and enjoy life.  She is the epitome of 'balance'.  She loves coffee, wine and food, in another lifetime we could be soulmates!  This is us at the gym Xmas party.

2.  My friend Karene who is responsible for me knowing about the 12wbt.  I've known Karene for a few years just through friends of friends, same Playgroup, Facebook, etc.  I've always loved Karene, she's very bubbly but I definitely saw the change in Karene since doing the 12wbt and it wasn't all physical.  Her whole persona is now just more driven, outgoing, positive, joyous and she encourages and pushes without making it feel like you're getting a lecture or telling off!  She herself will tell you the 12wbt was good not only for her physical health but her mental health as well.  Here is a glimpse of her physical transformation.

and here we are enjoying ourselves at the gym Xmas party.  We left early at 10pm as we had 8am Bootcamp the next morning.  Our trainer however did not and respect to him for showing up (hungover and red bleary eyed!) to kick our butts after getting home at 4am!  What a champ!

Please let me know.  Who inspires you and why?

Swimming in the shallow end

On the 12wbt site there are the forums that members can access.  It's a great place to ask for advice, encourage others, get a little kick up the butt and also just to socialise a little with people on the same journey as you.

As I was browsing last night there was one topic that caught my eye - "What's your shallowist reason for weight loss"
Without reading the thread I posted - You want shallow?... So my ex-boyfriend, the one that really REALLY broke my heart, can see my hot new bod on Facebook and think "damn!" lol

After I posted my shallow reason I went back and read what everyone else had put and I think half had similar shallow reasons to me.  I thought it was such a laugh!

Some ladies were also commenting about wearing heels and 12wbt member fairls posted this - (to those who want to wear heels again, this is something I have just recently achieved with wedges being in fashion. They are making my new look legs look great. I have blamed my knee reco for my inability to wear a nice heel - turns out I was just too bloody fat)  Hilarious!

The thread also reminded me of this meme which makes me laugh everytime I see it.  It is shallow to the core.

Seriously though, our reasons for making a change in our lifestyle need to be deeper and not shallow.  My own 'deep' reasons are:

• It is vital in managing my depression
• I have 3 children I want to grow up thinking healthy is normal, I don't want them to have to have the same battle I'm having now
• Obvious but health.  It's no great revelation that being fit and a healthy body weight reduces risk for many illnesses like diabetes and heart attack. 

I'd love to hear your own shallow reasons though. Comment and give me a chuckle :)

Some fun!

As an attempt to curb the odd craving when I feel the need to snack for no reason I DANCE!

I'm a K-pop tragic so when I came across this today I was so happy I just had to DANCE!

Enjoy... or not  ;) >>>  PSY Mash-up

Quarter way weigh in!

Week 3 weigh in.

Start weight 99.5kg (HOLY SHIT!!) and at week 3 weigh in it is 95.4kg.
4.1kg gone!  I'm pretty happy about that but it is more than just numbers for me.

Other benefits noticed so far:

• My clothes fit better - I haven't dropped a dress size yet but the clothes I do have feel and look better on.
• I'm sleeping better.
• I've dropped the dosage on my anti-depressants (big thumbs up!)
• I'm stronger, I have increased the weights in Pump class

So while it can sometimes feel like I'm still so far from my goals, I have to remember...