Michelle Bridges 12WBT

So....I just signed up for the Michelle Bridges 12WBT. This is something I've been thinking of doing for quite some time, but have always put it off with thoughts like "I don't need it", "I can do this myself", "we cant afford it", "its not the right time"....

Yesterday the thought occurred to me....When will be the right time? The reality is, no we can't afford, we probably never will be able to...BUT I can't afford not to anymore. My weight is getting out of control. I am certain my constant susceptibility to every germ bug and virus going around is due to my weight. My exhaustion is due to my weight, my joint pain is due to my weight. If I don't do something soon, it will become an overwhelming and insurmountable task. 

I worry that the cycle I saw and despised in my Mum will happen to me, and then, inevitably, I will follow her path....being too sick to tackle to weight, being too sick because of the weight, and eventually, like my Mum, I too will give up. I don't want that to happen, and I know my Mum wouldn't want that for me either. I have an amazing fiance, 2 beautiful girls and a life to live. I have a wedding coming up and want to not only look amazing but FEEL amazing. We want to have another baby next year, and at my age, health is going to be a determining factor in whether or not we can do that. I don't want to give up...so even though we can't afford it, I willing to try anything to get my health, and my life back...

So, this time I am NOT doing it on my own, I have 4 other brilliant mums doing this challenge with me. Although they are all friends online from mum amazing mummies group, they are friends, and we can share our failures and triumphs together, support each other and know we are all facing the same challenges. There are forums and chat rooms for everyone doing this challenge to share successes and ask for help with failures. Shane is by my side and doing it too, which is simply invaluable to my success. I will have meal plans, and exercise plans and Michelle motivating me with weekly videos and chats. This is about not only changing my eating and exercise habits, but just like she does on The Biggest Loser, making me face and challenge my mindset, my thought processes that have made me the person I am. That is the part that scares me most! Facing and changing my mindsets, but I WILL do it.

So for the next few months I am going to try and blog about my successes and failures with the massive challenge, to make myself accountable. I have spent a lot of money on this and I don't want to waste it. Every place that I have to be honest and held accountable for my choices is one more place, one more reason to ensure I do WELL, that i succeed. 

The first 2 warm up challenges are what I am tackling this week. Simple steps to start the changes I need to make. Week 1 is to change something small in your eating & exercising. So, I am choosing to give up soft drink & reduce my meal sizes & make an effort to do some exercise EVERYDAY. Week 2 is about what we drink, and the challenge is to only drink water, tea and the occasional coffee, so I am doing just that. My morning coffee (some things simply cannot be given up!) and then water for the rest of the day. According to Michelle's water intake scale I should be drinking 3.5 litres of water a day...I'll start by ensuring I drink 2 litres and work from there.

Here is the BEFORE picture. One of the pictures that made me realise how much I NEED this!

I hope you will join me on this journey, and support us as we tackle the 12 week body transformation challenge!!