Fast-Track the Catch-up

Ok, so loads of things have happened since my last post....yikes, is it really 15 months since my last post??

So, here's a little timeline to catch everyone up to speed.

June/July 2013 - I had a stall for my Personal Empowerment and Leadership Development business No Limits Biz at my local gym Body & Soul.  It wasn't a terribly successful day, but it was my first time doing this kind of event and it taught me a lot.  For me, the biggest win of the day was meeting the two lovely ladies who had a stall next to mine who I spent a lot of time talking with over the course of the day - about my business and theirs.  Those two lovely ladies have now become very dear friends of mine and are helping me on my weight loss and fitness journey with their Herbalife programs.

August 2013 - October 2013 - My friend's Anushka & Aimee launch their 8020 free fitclub and I am one of the first regulars along for the ride. And I can tell you now....it's a fun and awesome ride!

Highlight: 6th October - I took part in Run Ballarat by doing the 6km fun run.

 

I had an amazing day, and although I didn't beat my time from the previous year it was an accomplishment to finish on the day as I ran the race with bronchitis.  I probably should have pulled out of racing, but the stubborn me prevailed and I did it anyway.  Unfortunately it sent me into several months of illness that I didn't expect.

November 2013 - January 2014 - throughout birthdays, illness, holiday season, the start of a new year I managed to actually maintain and even lose weight instead of put it on as in previous years.

Highlight:  Jan 2014 - I set a goal to lose 20kg by July this year.

If you want help with your goals go to our website: www.dare2dreambig.com.au

February 2014 - I signed up for a weight loss challenge and for a fitclub challenge - keeping it fun and keeping me moving towards my goals.  We have so much fun at fitclub it barely seems like we're exercising at the time.

March 2014 - I just completed the 4 week fitclub challenge.  We did an assessment at the start and at the end to measure how much we had improved over those 4 weeks. Here are my results:

1 minute run

Start: 13.06     Finish 11.10     - improvement of 1 minute, 56 seconds

1 minute push-ups

Start: 45          Finish 60          - improvement of 15 Push-ups

1 minute sit-ups

Start: 39          Finish 44           - improvement of 5 Sit-ups

I lost 3.2% of body fat, gained 3.7kg of muscle and lost 4cm of fat off my body.

Highlight:  I am a little embarrassed to admit, but at my biggest (which occurred some time over the past 4 years) I was almost up to 140kg. That scared the hell out of me and I didn't want to reach that.  It also worried my husband as he thought we was going to lose me. But it had to be when I was ready to commit to this, when I got my mindset sorted out and when I was prepared to do this thing.  That turning point happened mid last year for me thanks to our Personal Empowerment curriculum and what it taught me about mindset, achieving goals and eliminating limiting beliefs. To date - from last year when i began this weight loss and fitness journey I have lost 5kg and over 60cm of fat is gone from my body.  

So, a quarter of the way to my first goal of losing 20kg by July this year, and then onward to the goal of being 100kg. Further goals to come after I have achieved these.  

I hope that this inspires someone out there to get off the couch, find something they enjoy doing and go get fit and healthy. If you want to find out if there is a free fitclub in your area and I can put you in touch with someone who can help. The first step is the hardest, but once it becomes a habit you will be loving the results you are getting so much that it will seem easy. 

Remember: No matter how slow you go, you are still lapping everybody on the couch!

Susan Dorrington

Executive Income Specialist, and girl on track to kick some massive goals this year!

www.nolimitsbiz.info

Small changes - Big payoffs

Wow...I can't believe we're already nearly at week 4 of Michelle Bridges 12WBT!

I am loving how I am feeling - my clothes are fitting better already, and starting to notice a shift in weight on certain parts of my body.  So, a total lost now of 8.9kg...on my way to 10kg, my first milestone!  ooh...1.1kg to go to reach that - I think I should be able to do it by weigh in next week - have consistently been losing between 1-2kg per week so far, so if I ensure that I complete my workout sessions, be careful over the next couple of days (with some eating out challenges ahead) and keep remembering why I am doing this....I KNOW I can reach that mini-goal.

I've had quite a challenge this last week - a lot of bills were due (or should I say overdue!) and had to be paid last payday, so that left my cupboard fairly bare, with not so many choices.  Unfortunately there were a few meals on the menu I had to wipe due to lack of funds for ingredients, but with some careful planning around what I did have in the cupboard, I managed to keep the calorie count within the same range of the meal we were to eat.

I have to say that I really love having 3 similar sized meals and two snacks though the day.  It has given me so much more energy, and I am not feeling hungry all the time like I thought I may, and have done in the past with dieting.  I am also super-glad that we have more to eat than just lettuce leaves and munching on celery!  lol  Do you remember the old days?  Back in the 80's?  Some of the fad diets my sister put me on...like the cabbage soup diet!  Yuk!  Not to mention, that I put all the weight back on that I lost...and some more because I went back to eating what I thought was 'normal' food.  Ahh, I've learned a lot since then!





This is the cabbage soup diet here - would you believe that it's still around???  It may look appealing, but try eating it every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner!  I can't believe I did this thing for months losing weight to be a bridesmaid for my sister's wedding in the late 80's.  Michelle Bridges Food is so lovely - gourmet if you will, and looks appealing.






Mmmmm doesn't that lot of food look so appealing!?  From the MB12WBT menu...from the left:
Seafood Laksa, Vegetarian Tacos, Yoghurt with berry compote and Crustless Blueberry Cheesecake

I showed someone a picture of the Kangaroo Mince pie with Mushy peas I made last week and they were astonished that this was 'diet' food!  I love the change in mindset this has given me about eating healthy, and that it can still be beautiful food, but within a certain range, especially if you are wanting to lose some kg's.

My hubby has been eating pretty much the same as me on this journey, so he is pretty happy he has lost some weight too.  He only had about 10kg all up he wanted to lose, and I think he's pretty close that now, so he's decided he is going to start eating biscuits every day again!  It's his choice to do so, but what I've done is looked at the calorie value of the biscuits I bought for him and made sure that it is counted in his daily allowance.  I think he's actually still eating under his allowance every day, so I'm happy with that, and it keeps him happy being able to eat his biscuits.  I'm really glad that I don't have a problem with him eating them in front of me.  They can sit there for him to eat and are not a temptation for me.  I did object to him saying he wanted to get a pizza the other day though!  lol  I said that would just be cruel to sit and eat it in front of me!!!  I may have to take him out to a restaurant some time soon so he can order a pizza and I'll order something that is a healthier option for me - then we are both happy!

It is interesting to see other people's journey and how they involve their families and partners. I feel very lucky that I have a supportive husband who is happy to eat what I do.  It can be a challenge to be consistent with diet and exercise and mindset....but having that support means everything to me, and makes the journey so much more fun having him share it with me.



Susan Dorrington

Consistent efforts pay off

Week 3, and today was weigh in day. I jumped off the scales this morning with a smile on my face as I have lost another 2kg!  That's a total of 8.9kg including the pre-season of 12WBT.  I'm heading for the 10kg mark...and super motivated to keep getting results like these. But motivation is not the key, in fact motivation is not necessary at all - it's all about the consistency.  Consistent efforts - just doing the thing, is what get's the results.  This seems to be a theme for me this week - it came in the form of a motivational video from Michelle Bridges, it is basically the theme of the book I'm currently reading - The Slight Edge by Jeff Olsen, and it's also what I wrote about in my latest business blog post - "Shhh it's a Secret" (click here to read).
As the late Jim Rohn said:

"failure is nothing more than a few errors in judgment repeated every day", and
"the formula for success is a few simple disciplines practiced every day".

So, if it's that simple, why don't we all have the success in health, fitness, business, weight loss...whatever?  Because if we view the few simple disciplines individually, they don't seem to matter.  Nothing is going to happen overnight if we do or we don't do them.  It's the compound effect of doing them consistently over time that shows up in results - good or bad.

This has been a good lesson for me to learn, as working out has been rather challenging for me this week - making the time around caring for hubby, the house, working part-time and running my business part-time.  And this week I had a super great workout with a friend at Boot Camp at our local gym on Saturday, but then on Monday I was in agony with sciatic pain in my right leg and hip, so did not work out then.  I am still limping a little bit today two days later.  I don't know what caused it, but I do know I could barely walk, let alone work out.   I don't want to use this as excuse for not working out, but I am only human, and sometimes I just have to say it ain't gonna happen, move on, and get on with it as soon as possible. I wonder how I would have gone had I attempted to do a work-out anyway?  Maybe it would have loosened up the muscles causing the pain, and it may have helped.  Or, I may have been in more pain!  lol  Who knows?  I'll have to try it out next time.  What I do know is that being consistent with my food choices is definitely paying off.  I put on a pair of jeans and a nice top tonight to go out to meet up with some friends, and the jeans were feeling a little bit loose where they had been tight, and the top came down further on me, instead of riding up.  It was an amazing feeling to feel good in my clothes!  It's those feelings even more so than seeing a number on the scale that keeps me wanting to continue with this journey. It's knowing that I can change my body...and my life that makes it all worthwhile.

This week's food highlight for me has been the Kangaroo mince pie with mushy peas.  Yummo!  It was so nice.  I have had kangaroo sausages before, but never used the mince.  It is something like 97% fat free, and a lot better for you than regular mince.  The pie was something you would have seen at a gourmet restaurant served with baby spinach leaves with a balsamic glaze.

I have my first eating out challenge coming up on Friday with a work lunch.  It will be interesting to see how I go. We are pre-ordering, so I get to see the menu first, which will be handy.  I will have to report back here and tell you how I went! 

Here's to another week of consistent effort and great results!

Susan Dorrington

www.susandorrington.com

Week 2, Day 3

Week 2, Day 3

Ok, Week 2 is here, and weigh in day has arrived.  Woo Hoo - I lost another 1.8kg - that's a total of 6.9kg lost since sign up.  

Mindset: I have to admit I was pretty slack last week when it came to exercise.  I had such a busy week, with so much to get done, and somehow I allowed things to get in the way.  So, after giving myself a swift kick up the bum I decided that this week was not going to be a repeat of last week. 

Exercise: Monday night we went to the gym and did our workout session - cross-trainer, interval training on the treadmill, rowing machine, and a few other exercises.  Tuesday - I went to a Power class at Body & Soul gym here in Ballarat.  I found that last week's session of Power I had problems with the lunges - calves cramping badly and I really didn't feel that I gave that workout my all.  This week the trainer Mel gave some alternatives to lunges - to do a narrow and then a wider squat.  It kept my heart rate up, kept the burn happening, and I came out of it feeling hot and sweaty.  I truly felt I gave it my all tonight, and today I am feeling a little stiff and sore - which tells me that it was an AWESOME workout for me!  If I can walk fine the day after training, then I haven't trained hard enough!  

Food:  Food has been great - found some new and exciting recipes that I know I am going to be making for a long time to come.  Still can't stop thinking about the char-grilled eggplant & capsicum cous cous salad - yummo!

Coming up:  It was a pretty ordinary day here yesterday - quite a storm.  Keeping an eye on the weather this morning, but thinking it might be a gym day instead of walking the Lake.  I'm not a fan of walking in the rain. That might be a bit soft, but that's just me.  I'm not letting it stop me from getting a great workout - I'll just choose inside rather than out in the weather.

Susan
www.susandorrington.com

Week 1, Day 2

Day 2 of Michelle Bridges 12WBT and went to a pump/power class right after work.  Key for me - put the gym bag in the car, or by the door.  If I have to come home and then go the likelihood of going is reduced by a massive 80%.  Yes, I just made up that stat, but who doesn't these days!

Food: I'm so surprised by some of the recipes Michelle has given us.  All the meals we had yesterday I looked at them and thought - I'm gonna be hungry after that.  But, you know what?  I wasn't!  They were surprisingly filling.



Exercise:  Went to a Pump/Power
class at Body & Soul tonight - I don't feel exhausted and like I can't move, so obviously I haven't worked out hard enough.  Other than lunges, which I always struggle with (my calves keep cramping up when I try to do them), there was nothing that really pushed me to the edge tonight. I believe I will have to increase the weights I have on the bar to get a better workout.

Mindset: Today I found myself thinking - how on earth am I going to fit all this training in every day - I don't have time for it!  Then I found myself telling myself to shut up and JUST DO IT!  Sometimes we have to ignore what our brain is telling us because it has been programmed all wrong.  Take away the limiting belief of "I can't" and replace it with "I don't know how, but I'll find a way".

Coming up: Big walk around Lake Wendouree tomorrow - if today is anything to go by it should be a beautiful day for a walk.  Any local Ballarat 12WBT reading this - contact me if you want to join our walking group.

Will see if I can get a nice pic of the Lake, so check back on tomorrow's blogpost.

Susan
www.susandorrington.com

My Pre-12WBT Season WINS

Well, day 1 of Michelle Bridges 12 week Body Transformation is finally here. I feel like I've been signed up and waiting forever! Has it really only been about a month? 

As we get this underway I'm just busting to share the wins that I have had leading up to this amazing life-changing event.

Firstly, I had a couple of light-bulb moments and big wins that I just have to share. Work has Happy Hour once a month - after work for social club members. As a member we get our first drink (alcoholic, or soft drink) free, and they provide food. Friday just gone I went out to Happy Hour, and had to choose a drink. Hmm, what to get. Not having the soft-drink, the vodka cruisers are packed full of sugar, and the Jack Daniels is mixed with soft drink. What does that leave? Beer, or bottled water. Easy choice - I chose the water! BIG win for me. I really really felt like a nice alcoholic bevvy, but did not want to right before the start. The next big thing was the food they were serving - Pizza! So, I stood with my back to the food and talked. They smelled so good, but I was so determined that I am making a change right here, right now, and I did not give in to it. So, yay for me, I resisted my first temptation. 

The other really BIG win....or maybe I should say LOSS...was that since signing up for the 12WBT, and making a couple of small changes with the challenges (pretty much just cutting out any junk food, cutting my coffee down to 1 a day, and upping my water intake) and i have already lost 5.1kg!!!!! Woo Hoo! I am so happy that I am under 130kg with a lovely starting weight of 129.8kg. 





Bring on the diet and exercise!!!!

Song's to Move to #1

There are some songs that I just can't help moving to.  When I hear them, my feet start moving, I just wanna get up and dance, or run about.  So, they are PERFECT for working out, walking or running to.

#1.  Weapon of Choice - Fatboy Slim