Well it has been a fair while since my last post - it's been a busy time for me!
About 6 weeks into the Michelle Bridges 12WBT I began a 2 week stint working on MasterChef - I organised a two week filming schedule of fabulous challenges, based here in WA. So, I said farewell the husband and dog and moved into my hotel room at the Crown Promenade (no not the fancy Metropol, that's reserved for the talent and contestants - we plebs stay in the lesser fancy, but still lovely Promenade).
Anyone who has ever worked on a show as big as MasterChef ( or anyone who's stayed in a hotel for 2 weeks!) knows the difficulties of eating right, exercising and staying focused on personal goals of any sort. To start with, as part of my job, I was invited to many dinner meetings - I have to attend and often the host is the chef so I must eat politely what is put in front of me. You trying saying no to the very suave and lovely Mr Guillaume Brahimi with whom i dined several times!
I was able to get in a bit of early morning exercise at the beginning of the week, but once we started filming, I was simply just exhausted - 12 - 15 hour days (and 1 x 22 hour day!) takes a lot out of a person - especially one who is doing IVF. However, I was more active than normal, just by being on set and I felt slightly better about the situation.
We had an amazing 2 weeks and I loved being back in the game - but it did not help my 12WBT journey. I didn't put any weight on, but I didn't lose any either. When I saw my husband at the end of the 2 weeks however, he looked AMAZING! He'd lost more weight and was really starting to look a whole lot slimmer - he seemed to have coped with his short stint as a bachelor just fine! I am so proud of him!
We've reached the end of the 12WBT program now and we are definitely better for having done it. Healthier, Happier, Positive, Motivated, Educated. We highly recommend the program and if you're a couple, doing it together is totally worth while.
Stay tuned for a final wrap up of my 12WBT thoughts, coming in a few weeks.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Monday, April 1, 2013
WK4-7 12WBT The Harsh Truth
It's been a while since my last blog entry - it's been a very 'full' few weeks. So here's the bare truth of the situation...
When I signed up for Michelle Bridges 12WBT i weighed in at 78 kilos...yep you read that correctly at just 153cm tall, I weighed 78. I am embarrassed to say it out loud and i know i am not alone. However, whilst there have been some ups and down, at week 7 I weighed in at about 73 kilos...it's not much change since week 4, but it's not more and that's a win. I'll take those 5 kilos and gladly kick them to the curb. Whilst I'm a little disappointed it's not more than 6 kilos yet, I am not going to be too harsh on myself and here's why...
1. I am doing IVF - pumping ones self full of hormones has many side effects.
- Emotionally: I have no control over emotions - i can cry at the drop of a hat, be completely irrational and be down without having a reason - none of which I can control or change. Plus i want to have a baby - and not being able to is the most emotional situation I have ever been in.
- Physically: During certain points in the process I am under instruction not to do anything that will increase my body temp - this means walking not just workouts. for a period of about 4-5 days I pretty much lay low and try to do nothing. Also, the drugs can make you retain water, feel bloated and without doing anything can completely exhaust you.
These are genuine medical situations and are not excuses. Here's what I was able to do: I was able to stick to the diet and that is the reason why my weight has not gone up. By maintaining good eating habits I have been able to stick by my goals and wishes for a healthier life.
2. Now splattered into the past few weeks have been some extreme situations. I am back working on MasterChef - I'm just consulting for a couple of months, but I found myself pulling 60hours in 5 days - which normally I could handle but with IVF on top of that I was tired - workouts were put aside, but I was very active during that week and made sure I walked as much as I could.
Working on MasterChef can be directly related to eating of fabulous food. But here's the thing - whilst i did eat out a fair bit, my stomach had shrunk and I only ate small portions. I was so aware of of what I was putting in my mouth, that I when I walked away from meals not feeling stuffed, not having overeaten, I felt so proud of myself.
3. It seems I have a social life after all: all these months I thought my social life was over - but it's not...and part of that has to do with how good I am feeling about myself! My business partner Eamon opened his new restaurant on Thursday and the party was fabulous - I wore a slink dress, had my hair done and I felt a million bucks - it totally helped that I got loads of compliments too!
Getting dressed up is something I am starting to love again - so is my husband. He's looking AMAZING! He's lost almost 8 kilos, he's riding his bike much more often and even rides with a group of friends on Saturday mornings. He just seems a lot happier too. I am so proud of him!
So here's the harsh truth of the situation - I haven't lost any weight for the past 2weeks, but i haven't gained any. Circumstances have affected my ability to exercise, but I am monitoring my food. How I eat, exercise and my health are always on my mind. The 12WBT has changed me already - In mind body and spirit!
When I signed up for Michelle Bridges 12WBT i weighed in at 78 kilos...yep you read that correctly at just 153cm tall, I weighed 78. I am embarrassed to say it out loud and i know i am not alone. However, whilst there have been some ups and down, at week 7 I weighed in at about 73 kilos...it's not much change since week 4, but it's not more and that's a win. I'll take those 5 kilos and gladly kick them to the curb. Whilst I'm a little disappointed it's not more than 6 kilos yet, I am not going to be too harsh on myself and here's why...
1. I am doing IVF - pumping ones self full of hormones has many side effects.
- Emotionally: I have no control over emotions - i can cry at the drop of a hat, be completely irrational and be down without having a reason - none of which I can control or change. Plus i want to have a baby - and not being able to is the most emotional situation I have ever been in.
- Physically: During certain points in the process I am under instruction not to do anything that will increase my body temp - this means walking not just workouts. for a period of about 4-5 days I pretty much lay low and try to do nothing. Also, the drugs can make you retain water, feel bloated and without doing anything can completely exhaust you.
These are genuine medical situations and are not excuses. Here's what I was able to do: I was able to stick to the diet and that is the reason why my weight has not gone up. By maintaining good eating habits I have been able to stick by my goals and wishes for a healthier life.
2. Now splattered into the past few weeks have been some extreme situations. I am back working on MasterChef - I'm just consulting for a couple of months, but I found myself pulling 60hours in 5 days - which normally I could handle but with IVF on top of that I was tired - workouts were put aside, but I was very active during that week and made sure I walked as much as I could.
Working on MasterChef can be directly related to eating of fabulous food. But here's the thing - whilst i did eat out a fair bit, my stomach had shrunk and I only ate small portions. I was so aware of of what I was putting in my mouth, that I when I walked away from meals not feeling stuffed, not having overeaten, I felt so proud of myself.
3. It seems I have a social life after all: all these months I thought my social life was over - but it's not...and part of that has to do with how good I am feeling about myself! My business partner Eamon opened his new restaurant on Thursday and the party was fabulous - I wore a slink dress, had my hair done and I felt a million bucks - it totally helped that I got loads of compliments too!
Getting dressed up is something I am starting to love again - so is my husband. He's looking AMAZING! He's lost almost 8 kilos, he's riding his bike much more often and even rides with a group of friends on Saturday mornings. He just seems a lot happier too. I am so proud of him!
So here's the harsh truth of the situation - I haven't lost any weight for the past 2weeks, but i haven't gained any. Circumstances have affected my ability to exercise, but I am monitoring my food. How I eat, exercise and my health are always on my mind. The 12WBT has changed me already - In mind body and spirit!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
WK 4 12WBT - Getting in the Groove
So week 4 has rolled on by - we are so in the groove now - husband and I are starting to really notice the changes - both physically and mentally. Lets start with the physical...
Husband has lost about 6 kilos and 20cms from his body - he looks awesome and I am so proud of him. He's back on his bike and doing rides of over 50kms and I can really notice that he is a happier person. His clothes hang differently on his body and suddenly a belt is the new must have accessory!
For me, I've dropped about 4.5 kilos and 16cms from my body. Clothes are start to hang differently and this week when I posted a pic (See Below) of me with my business partner Eamon Sullivan and Cricket legend and McGrath Foundation founder, Glenn McGrath - I was floored and humbled by the comments - they were almost all about how good i looked! Yes that's the sounds of an ear to ear grin! I mean seriously - on guy is an underwear modeling, Olympic swimmer and the other is a very dapper, real life Legend...yet the comments were about me...wow!
Meeting Glenn McGrath and the foundations Managing Director Kylea Tink was really wonderful. Eamon is a McGrath Foundation ambassador and we're really excited about supporting the foundation however we can. But really it reminded me that through real tragedy and sadness amazing things can grow. Glenn is one of the loveliest men I have had the pleasure of meeting and what he has done over the years since his late wife's passing is truly courageous and visionary and humbling. It reminds me that being the best person I can be at all times is important, that thinking outward instead of inward is important, that life is fragile and precious and we must do what we can to give everyone a better life including ourselves.
Between Meeting Glenn and Kylea and getting involved in International Women's day events, I am truly moved to do more for others, whilst also doing 'this' for myself.
The mental changes I have seen in myself and in Andrew have had a huge affect. We are both thinking about our approach to life differently from simple things like the way we eat and exercise, to what our purpose is and what we can do for others - our church, our community, internationally, our friends and family.
Husband has lost about 6 kilos and 20cms from his body - he looks awesome and I am so proud of him. He's back on his bike and doing rides of over 50kms and I can really notice that he is a happier person. His clothes hang differently on his body and suddenly a belt is the new must have accessory!
For me, I've dropped about 4.5 kilos and 16cms from my body. Clothes are start to hang differently and this week when I posted a pic (See Below) of me with my business partner Eamon Sullivan and Cricket legend and McGrath Foundation founder, Glenn McGrath - I was floored and humbled by the comments - they were almost all about how good i looked! Yes that's the sounds of an ear to ear grin! I mean seriously - on guy is an underwear modeling, Olympic swimmer and the other is a very dapper, real life Legend...yet the comments were about me...wow!
Meeting Glenn McGrath and the foundations Managing Director Kylea Tink was really wonderful. Eamon is a McGrath Foundation ambassador and we're really excited about supporting the foundation however we can. But really it reminded me that through real tragedy and sadness amazing things can grow. Glenn is one of the loveliest men I have had the pleasure of meeting and what he has done over the years since his late wife's passing is truly courageous and visionary and humbling. It reminds me that being the best person I can be at all times is important, that thinking outward instead of inward is important, that life is fragile and precious and we must do what we can to give everyone a better life including ourselves.
Between Meeting Glenn and Kylea and getting involved in International Women's day events, I am truly moved to do more for others, whilst also doing 'this' for myself.
The mental changes I have seen in myself and in Andrew have had a huge affect. We are both thinking about our approach to life differently from simple things like the way we eat and exercise, to what our purpose is and what we can do for others - our church, our community, internationally, our friends and family.
 |
| Glenn McGrath, Me, Eamon Sullivan @ our cafe 'Louis Baxters' |
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Week 3 12WBT - Highs and Lows
It's been 3 weeks since my husband and I started our 12WBT adventure. 3 weeks of sticking to a food plan, exercising daily, standing on scales, saying 'no' to all the foods I've said 'yes' to in the past and saying 'yes' to all the things I've said 'no' to in the past.
It's been 3 weeks of taking my lunch with me - even to my own cafe - of planning ahead, of having schedule, of being organised. And it's working. I've lost about 4.5 kilos. My clothes are starting to sit on my body differently, I'm feeling better, more energetic and importantly, I am proud of what I've achieved.
It's been 3 weeks of taking my lunch with me - even to my own cafe - of planning ahead, of having schedule, of being organised. And it's working. I've lost about 4.5 kilos. My clothes are starting to sit on my body differently, I'm feeling better, more energetic and importantly, I am proud of what I've achieved.
But i've had a rough week. For those who don't know, we're also going through IVF at the moment, we've been doing the various stages of IVF for almost 2 years now and the last 3 attempts have been full IVF. Sadly we had 2 miscarriages last year and we have just been through our first cycle for 2013.
This week I found out that our latest IVF attempt failed and the news is heart breaking. For anyone who has been through it, you'll know that IVF is extremely emotional but also has a very invasive physical part to it and of course a huge financial aspect. It knocked me for a six and all I wanted to do was punish myself - eat 'comfort foods', drink wine, curl in a ball and cry. But I didn't. I am lucky enough to have an amazing support group - My husband who is by my side through everything, two of my closest friends Vari & Nicola, who know exactly what to say to me to get me back on my feet and my mum, who's unwavering faith is a huge comfort. I also made a plea via twitter to @12WBT & @Mishbridges - the 12WBT crew suggested that instead of punishment by food, i do something soothing - like get a manicure....An excellent Idea. Mish pledged her support and told me that I am amazing.
The point I am trying to make is that no matter what, how painful something is, if you talk to people about it, if you share your problems with your family and friends, then you can overcome it. There is a huge part of the 12WBT which is dedicated to emotional support - the forums, facebook sites, twitter, live chats. We aren't left to hang out and dry on our own. With life change comes emotional ups and downs - we aren't alone in this.
This week I found out that our latest IVF attempt failed and the news is heart breaking. For anyone who has been through it, you'll know that IVF is extremely emotional but also has a very invasive physical part to it and of course a huge financial aspect. It knocked me for a six and all I wanted to do was punish myself - eat 'comfort foods', drink wine, curl in a ball and cry. But I didn't. I am lucky enough to have an amazing support group - My husband who is by my side through everything, two of my closest friends Vari & Nicola, who know exactly what to say to me to get me back on my feet and my mum, who's unwavering faith is a huge comfort. I also made a plea via twitter to @12WBT & @Mishbridges - the 12WBT crew suggested that instead of punishment by food, i do something soothing - like get a manicure....An excellent Idea. Mish pledged her support and told me that I am amazing.
The point I am trying to make is that no matter what, how painful something is, if you talk to people about it, if you share your problems with your family and friends, then you can overcome it. There is a huge part of the 12WBT which is dedicated to emotional support - the forums, facebook sites, twitter, live chats. We aren't left to hang out and dry on our own. With life change comes emotional ups and downs - we aren't alone in this.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Wk 2 - 12WBT - The First Real Hurdle
Week 2 was a tough one and I'm glad it's over! It's been a full on, emotional week which tested my ability to Just Do It! Due to an IVF procedure I wasn't able to do any exercise other than a 15-20 minute walk daily. This was doctors orders and when it comes to IVF, i definitely do whatever the doc says!
This was a bit of a blow to my overall motivation and to the momentum I had going in week 1.
[On a quick aside, I totally forget to mention that during week 1, my mum and I went did Aqua Fitness - highly recommended by my physio for my back - anyways we turned up and I saw a sea of grey hair. It was me an about 50 Over 60's... all whom were fitter than me!]
The walking is something I do daily anyway with our fabulous fur kid Louis Pierre so that was ok, but I felt wrong not doing anything after having such a great 1st week. There was no point dwelling though I just had to make sure I ate really well. [See shameless proud mother pic of Louis Pirrer attached to this post!]
What is amazing is that husband and I are doing the shopping together...and not killing each other! We use some shopping list App he found (Any List) which we can link together so that we can go in separate ways, cross items off the list as we get them and meet up at the end. GENIUS! The food has been great - especially breakfast. As I longtime breakfast skipper, I didn't realise how much variety you could have and how vital that we be to actually eating. The baked eggs was fabulous, the banana on toast - all great!
We had our treat night on Thursday night as I was working at our cafe Louis Baxters - we have a BYO and Tapas night. It's just a trial but hopefully we'll start doing it every Thursday & Friday night. My job is to be the host - find people tables, get them set up, help them to order and generally to create a good vibe. It was a great night and I felt at ease eating a small amount - it wasn't the healthiest fair, but it was delicious! It was a good test as whenever I'm at the cafe i tend to pick at things in the kitchen which can mean eating a whole lot of bad stuff!
This week has been emotionally tough also as my wonderful, talented business partner, Olympic Swimmer Eamon Sullivan faced the media with 5 of his teammates about an evening of team bonding in Manchester prior to the Olympics. Seeing him on TV, knowing what a fabulous guy he is, knowing that he is deeply sorry and saddened by the events and the ripple affect it has had - It just broke my heart. It showed me that for the past 15 years he has willingly sacrificed a 'normal' life for a sport he loves to represent a country he loves, all with the backing of the Australian public, as long as he Never Ever puts a foot wrong . Eamon is more than just a swimmer who made a mistake though - he's a talented cook, a loyal and loving friend, a great business partner and my biggest supporter during this 12WBT adventure.
Anyway, Eamon has always shown me that it is through adversity that grow stronger and can live to fight another day. So here's to week 3 - I'm back in business!
This was a bit of a blow to my overall motivation and to the momentum I had going in week 1.
[On a quick aside, I totally forget to mention that during week 1, my mum and I went did Aqua Fitness - highly recommended by my physio for my back - anyways we turned up and I saw a sea of grey hair. It was me an about 50 Over 60's... all whom were fitter than me!]
The walking is something I do daily anyway with our fabulous fur kid Louis Pierre so that was ok, but I felt wrong not doing anything after having such a great 1st week. There was no point dwelling though I just had to make sure I ate really well. [See shameless proud mother pic of Louis Pirrer attached to this post!]
What is amazing is that husband and I are doing the shopping together...and not killing each other! We use some shopping list App he found (Any List) which we can link together so that we can go in separate ways, cross items off the list as we get them and meet up at the end. GENIUS! The food has been great - especially breakfast. As I longtime breakfast skipper, I didn't realise how much variety you could have and how vital that we be to actually eating. The baked eggs was fabulous, the banana on toast - all great!
We had our treat night on Thursday night as I was working at our cafe Louis Baxters - we have a BYO and Tapas night. It's just a trial but hopefully we'll start doing it every Thursday & Friday night. My job is to be the host - find people tables, get them set up, help them to order and generally to create a good vibe. It was a great night and I felt at ease eating a small amount - it wasn't the healthiest fair, but it was delicious! It was a good test as whenever I'm at the cafe i tend to pick at things in the kitchen which can mean eating a whole lot of bad stuff!
This week has been emotionally tough also as my wonderful, talented business partner, Olympic Swimmer Eamon Sullivan faced the media with 5 of his teammates about an evening of team bonding in Manchester prior to the Olympics. Seeing him on TV, knowing what a fabulous guy he is, knowing that he is deeply sorry and saddened by the events and the ripple affect it has had - It just broke my heart. It showed me that for the past 15 years he has willingly sacrificed a 'normal' life for a sport he loves to represent a country he loves, all with the backing of the Australian public, as long as he Never Ever puts a foot wrong . Eamon is more than just a swimmer who made a mistake though - he's a talented cook, a loyal and loving friend, a great business partner and my biggest supporter during this 12WBT adventure.
Anyway, Eamon has always shown me that it is through adversity that grow stronger and can live to fight another day. So here's to week 3 - I'm back in business!
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Week 1 12WBT - Just Do It!
Just Do it - Best tagline for a sporting company ever! 3 words can have a huge impact.
JUST - no ifs, no buts, no excuses
DO - take action
IT - something, anything!
Seems simple enough and it is - just ask any person currently doing the Michelle Bridges 12WBT. Everyone I speak to who has done it or is currently doing it says how great it is - Michelle has done all the hard work for you - she tells you what to do, how to do it, when to do it and why do it - she's with you every step of the way!
When we did our first grocery shop we couldn't believe how much there was in our trolley - we'd never done such a big shop. But by the end of the week our fridge was almost empty and we couldn't get over the fact we'd eaten it all! We followed Mish's recipes and were never hungry - in fact I ate more than I had in a long time. By the end of the week my body was already adjusting to 3 regular meals and 2 snacks a day! I made sure I always had some snacks ready to go and I even took my lunch to my cafe so I wasn't tempted to eat something I shouldn't!
The exercise component came much easier than I expected - However if you look up uncoordinated you'll see a picture of me attempting aerobics! We'd bought a 3 pack of Michelle's DVD's, so I worked through those - thankful that she had a low impact option on every video. Each workout is broken into 5 minute segments meaning you can do as much or as little as you want and as Mish says, as least you're doing something! The more I did the easier it got and by the end of the week I was absolutely thrilled with my effort - despite my complete inability to make my arms work at the same time as the rest of my body!
It could have been so easy to give up on the exercise - recently I had a hand operation (carpel tunnel), was diagnosed with 2 bulging discs in my lower back and I have just started a 3rd round of IVF. I thought that exercising would be really difficult but it wasn't - If Mish was doing push ups, I did squats. If she was jumping, I did the low impact option. The reasons to not do something are all in my head - I just have to learn to override them!
I lost about 1.5 kilos in Week 1 and I am pretty chuffed with that!
JUST - no ifs, no buts, no excuses
DO - take action
IT - something, anything!
Seems simple enough and it is - just ask any person currently doing the Michelle Bridges 12WBT. Everyone I speak to who has done it or is currently doing it says how great it is - Michelle has done all the hard work for you - she tells you what to do, how to do it, when to do it and why do it - she's with you every step of the way!
When we did our first grocery shop we couldn't believe how much there was in our trolley - we'd never done such a big shop. But by the end of the week our fridge was almost empty and we couldn't get over the fact we'd eaten it all! We followed Mish's recipes and were never hungry - in fact I ate more than I had in a long time. By the end of the week my body was already adjusting to 3 regular meals and 2 snacks a day! I made sure I always had some snacks ready to go and I even took my lunch to my cafe so I wasn't tempted to eat something I shouldn't!
The exercise component came much easier than I expected - However if you look up uncoordinated you'll see a picture of me attempting aerobics! We'd bought a 3 pack of Michelle's DVD's, so I worked through those - thankful that she had a low impact option on every video. Each workout is broken into 5 minute segments meaning you can do as much or as little as you want and as Mish says, as least you're doing something! The more I did the easier it got and by the end of the week I was absolutely thrilled with my effort - despite my complete inability to make my arms work at the same time as the rest of my body!
It could have been so easy to give up on the exercise - recently I had a hand operation (carpel tunnel), was diagnosed with 2 bulging discs in my lower back and I have just started a 3rd round of IVF. I thought that exercising would be really difficult but it wasn't - If Mish was doing push ups, I did squats. If she was jumping, I did the low impact option. The reasons to not do something are all in my head - I just have to learn to override them!
I lost about 1.5 kilos in Week 1 and I am pretty chuffed with that!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Week 1 12WBT - It Begins with a Fitness Test
So the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation program begins with a fitness test. I put this off for as long as I could because I new this would be ugly!
Like many others, I used to be fit - not just fit, super fit - I was at WAIS for 4 years as the WA State Cox for the Rowing team - I had to weigh 45kilos... 45KILOS!!!!!! I had no fat on my body, I ate whatever I wanted, I exercised 2,3 times a day and I loved it.
When I finished my stint at WAIS, I was still extremely active - but then I moved to Sydney, my career started taking off and so did my partying lifestyle - it was all sex, drugs and rock & roll. Smoking, drinking, drugs and general partying kept me skinny for a while but when I left that life behind, I was faced with a new one - one where my metabalism and I were no longer friends.
Suddenly I was one of those people who simply had to look at food to gain weight. It didn't help that I predominantly worked on food and travel shows and pretty much ate my way through my career.
Somewhere along the way I forgot to importance of exercise. Exercise isn't just about losing weight - it does so much more than that. It can help you mentally, it makes you feel better even if you don't think you look better.
So that brings me to one Sunday, 2 weeks ago. I geared up. I mentally prepared for the fight ahead. First up the 1km run. I started with a gentle jog - I got about 400metres and thought that perhaps I might just die. I walked for a bit and then ran for a bit. I seriously thought my lungs would explode. I was so glad Andrew was the only person in that park because I looked like a mess - sweating, heavy breathing, uncoordination. But I did it!
After completeing that run I felt such a huge sense of relief and a determination to do better next time. I did the other tasks - my core strength is better than I thought due to years of pilates and I couldn't do pushups as I had carpel tunnel surgery on my left hand a few weeks before. But I did it and I know that to Michelle Bridges, that's all she wants from us - to do it....the rest will come. So everyday I can hear Mish in my ear saying just do it - every effort counts.
Like many others, I used to be fit - not just fit, super fit - I was at WAIS for 4 years as the WA State Cox for the Rowing team - I had to weigh 45kilos... 45KILOS!!!!!! I had no fat on my body, I ate whatever I wanted, I exercised 2,3 times a day and I loved it.
When I finished my stint at WAIS, I was still extremely active - but then I moved to Sydney, my career started taking off and so did my partying lifestyle - it was all sex, drugs and rock & roll. Smoking, drinking, drugs and general partying kept me skinny for a while but when I left that life behind, I was faced with a new one - one where my metabalism and I were no longer friends.
Suddenly I was one of those people who simply had to look at food to gain weight. It didn't help that I predominantly worked on food and travel shows and pretty much ate my way through my career.
Somewhere along the way I forgot to importance of exercise. Exercise isn't just about losing weight - it does so much more than that. It can help you mentally, it makes you feel better even if you don't think you look better.
So that brings me to one Sunday, 2 weeks ago. I geared up. I mentally prepared for the fight ahead. First up the 1km run. I started with a gentle jog - I got about 400metres and thought that perhaps I might just die. I walked for a bit and then ran for a bit. I seriously thought my lungs would explode. I was so glad Andrew was the only person in that park because I looked like a mess - sweating, heavy breathing, uncoordination. But I did it!
After completeing that run I felt such a huge sense of relief and a determination to do better next time. I did the other tasks - my core strength is better than I thought due to years of pilates and I couldn't do pushups as I had carpel tunnel surgery on my left hand a few weeks before. But I did it and I know that to Michelle Bridges, that's all she wants from us - to do it....the rest will come. So everyday I can hear Mish in my ear saying just do it - every effort counts.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Week 1 12WBT - The Decision
My husband Andrew and I realised that something needed to be done about our weight gain. We'd both steadily put on weight over the years. We are currently going through IVF to try and have a baby - so far we've had 2 miscarriages - this is not the bad new that it sounds like! For the first time in year, we have an answer to the question 'Can we even get pregnant' and the wonderful answer is yes! I put on some extra weight during those 2 short pregnancies and now it's time to start again with a clean slate, a better attitude and a better, healthier body.
I first met Michelle Bridges during Celebrity MasterChef - she was one of the contestants I was given [Others being my business partner Eamon Sullivan, Swans player Ryan O'Keefe Australian Cricketer Simon Katich (yep - all the sporty ones!) as well as INXS's Kirk Pengilly & Singer Alex Lloyd] Michelle is as energetic, positive and outgoing as she is on screen and she is infectious in a positive way. When I filmed with Mish, I wished I could be like her - active, healthy - she always looked great, was always happy and handled the stress of the show with ease. But I had a million and one excuses why I couldn't do it. I laughed it off. But now, some years later I have no more excuses, just a doctor saying it would be best to lose some weight and a mirror that constantly reminds me that I don't feel comfortable in my skin.
Please don't get me wrong - I have a very healthy love and acceptance of who I am. I do think I am beautiful - in and out, but i want a healthier body that I feel comfortable in.
And so, it was an easy decision to make - Andrew and I signed up together to partake in Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation.
I first met Michelle Bridges during Celebrity MasterChef - she was one of the contestants I was given [Others being my business partner Eamon Sullivan, Swans player Ryan O'Keefe Australian Cricketer Simon Katich (yep - all the sporty ones!) as well as INXS's Kirk Pengilly & Singer Alex Lloyd] Michelle is as energetic, positive and outgoing as she is on screen and she is infectious in a positive way. When I filmed with Mish, I wished I could be like her - active, healthy - she always looked great, was always happy and handled the stress of the show with ease. But I had a million and one excuses why I couldn't do it. I laughed it off. But now, some years later I have no more excuses, just a doctor saying it would be best to lose some weight and a mirror that constantly reminds me that I don't feel comfortable in my skin.
Please don't get me wrong - I have a very healthy love and acceptance of who I am. I do think I am beautiful - in and out, but i want a healthier body that I feel comfortable in.
And so, it was an easy decision to make - Andrew and I signed up together to partake in Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation.
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