12WBT - The Next Phase

So the Warm Up stage is over & we are into Preseason. Its so daunting, knowing I have all these tasks ahead of me and having no idea what they might be. I am not good at facing the unknown at the best of times! I understand why Michelle does it. Like many, I would read ahead & do the tasks at the end, and not give the tasks at hand the proper focus.So I continue to follow into the program, with my blinkers firmly in place and focusing on the tasks at hand. So far I have lost a little over a kg, and given that I had an engagement party at a chinese restaurant & entertained all weekend, I think I have done pretty well. 


I am now planning my weeks, with meal times, what those meals will be and exercise time all scheduled. Knowing what I have planned helps, and it means bumps in the road, like an unexpected visit to the doctor, or an impromptu coffee with friends will not leave me flailing and failing. Instead I can look at my schedule and either plan around it OR add to it where I can later! I am now drinking 2 litres of water a day. The reccomendation for someone my size is over 3 litres, but seriously?! Baby steps on that one! I have all but cut out soft drink and take away foods. I look forward to experimenting in the kitchen, with my own personal challenge this week of keeping the main part of dinner each night under 300 calories! So far we are having healthy meatloaf and lemon chicken breasts, so its not like its boring grilled meat & blanched veggies. Its tasty healthy meals with substitutes for the bad stuff. 

TASK 1 of PRESEASON

This task is very confronting. Its looking at the excuses I use to make poor food choices, to avoid exercise and to hide away and do nothing, recognise them, admit them, then beat them! I am VERY good at excuses and procrastination, not so good at the honesty bit! But, I have managed this task, over the last 24 hours I have given it a good amount of thought, and so, to make myself accountable, here it is!


I'm too tired. This is my major excuse. I use this excuse ALL the time! With Molly not sleeping through the night, having had Ross River Fever and iron deficiency, its such a well used, comfortable excuse. And, to make it even easier, most of the time its true. I AM tired! However, Michelle says NO EXCUSES!!! Sooo, when I think I am too tired, I am going to refuse to listen, push ahead and keep going. With the planning I am now doing, I can ensure that if Im too tired to cook a healthy dinner that there is a quick easy and most importantly, healthy alternative waiting for me to use. Monday each week is going to be prep day. Whatever I can prep & refrigerate or freeze for later in the week gets done. Chicken breast grilled for lunches, meat pre diced, veggies pre cut. All the hard work done & waiting for me just simply to put it altogether. If I think I am too tired for my morning walk, I will walk for 10 mins. If I still feel like I cant keep going, I will turn around and come home. At least then I walked 20 mins, better than nothing, right?!!

I don't have time. This is a good one too. I am always busy. I like my life busy. But, am I really too busy or do I just make it seem that way? Once again, the schedule makes sure Im never too busy to look after ME! 

Its boring & lonely. Yep, exercise can be boring. Healthy food can be boring. Its so easy to get stuck in a rut! But, once again, the schedule helps. I plan a variety of healthy meals. I am using my schedule to mix up where I walk. I have to say, walking our local block, a 5km walk, is fun! There are lots of people doing the same thing. People riding bikes, people jogging or walking their dog. They are all friendly & say hi! Molly and I look for Kangaroos and birds and dogs, wave to the cars and people. AND, this time I have Shane, who is happy to walk with me. He keeps me company when he can. And, Im also trying to find others who are doing the 12 WBT in Coffs to join me in some small group personal training sessions! How fun does that sound? Exercise and meeting people on the same journey?!!

Then there is the self sabotaging voice inside my head. It's the one that tells me things like, "well, you already ate chocolate today so you may as well have that piece of cake too". "You always fail, so why do you bother trying?" "you have always been fat, and always will be, so you may as well just enjoy the life you have" "you can't do all this exercise. You cant make it a part of your everyday routine, you are too lazy". There are so many more things the self sabotager says, but now I know it! I recognise it learn to tell it to bugger off! Leave me alone because I CAN do whatever I put my mind too. I am only limited by ME. 


This is up to ME. I have to take responsibility for my choices, I have to make the changes. 

INSANITY: DOING THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AND EXPECTING A DIFFERENT RESULT. - Albert Einstein. 

I refuse to be called insane....ever again!!!