Weight v's Measurements!

Losing weight is so much more than fitting into smaller sized clothing. It is about holding your head high knowing that you are on your personal mission to ultimate health and vitality! It is the ability in knowing that you have believed in yourself, pushed through the tough days and triumphed when you reach your goal weight! However, along the way you'll find that even though you have been eating sensibly and trained like a crazy woman (or man) you jump on the scales and they haven't even god damned moved!! What the hell? This is where measurements come into play!!! I cannot stress enough the importance of measuring yourself on a weekly basis. Do it at the same time as when you weigh yourself - in the morning before breakfast and after the loo on a weekly basis. I find Saturdays the easiest day as I'm not flying around the house getting three boys out the door!  Measure your chest, waist, hips, a thigh and an arm. (I keep my measurement sheet on the back of our bedroom door).

I recall when I first started my journey last year, I was training twice a week with a personal trainer and doing bodypump twice a week and the scales would just not move. Well let me tell you - this ticked me off on a major scale but I knew if I gave up then I'd be even more cranky with myself! So I started taking my measurements and I do believe this is what kept me motivated. Our minds can play tricks on us and this is where many people fall back into old habits and get their cranky pants on. So Measure, Measure, Measure! One of the weeks I didn't lose weight I actually lost 11cms so I still got that feeling of accomplishment because I had trained hard and felt really proud of myself! So far to date I have lost 101cms (over a metre thank you very much!).  So you can see how the numbers add up to achieving a wonderful outcome! Your Goal! Your Triumph! So go get jiggy with your new friend - the tape measure!!! 

Friday's Quote

"Be a first-rate version of yourself, not a second-rate version of someone else". Judy Garland

Three Chia's for Breakfast!

If there is one thing I cannot emphasize enough it's having a healthy BREAKFAST!  Regardless of how many kilos you need to shed, no matter how fit you aim to be, no matter who you are - Breakfast is without a doubt imparative for a healthy functioning body! There are so many nutritious choices when it comes to breakfast but given that so many of us are time poor these days I wanted to share this one with you. I have it practically everyday and it's easy peasey!!! I'm talking about good old fashioned Oats! 

Time and time again, I hear in particular Mums who say they don''t have time to have breakfast! Well here's the thing, in plain and simple english!! If you have breakfast you will function better in every aspect of your life! Simple! We make our kids breakfast, so make your own at the same time. Commit to it and fly through the rest of your day!

So as you can see by the photos I buy Uncle Toby's Oats. There are various flavours and multi packs available.  I like the Brown Sugar and Cinnamon flavour. They take 90 seconds in the microwave! So do NOt tell me you don't have a minute and a half to make this nutritious breaky! Make them with skim milk (1/2 cup) and you're away! Absolutely 100% GOOD FOR YOU!!! 

Now you're probably wondering what Chia Seeds are! They are a SUPERFOOD I recently discovered and I just love them and they will love you back! LOL! As stated on the back of the pack - "Chia is an ancient seed that has more Omega 3 and Dietary Fibre than any other food from nature". Chia Seeds promote heart health, support joint function and mobility, promote digestive health and aide regularity and are gluten free. I sprinkle them on my porridge but you can add them to salads, soups or in bread and muffin recipes. So give them a go! You can buy Chia Seeds at health food shops and chemists. 

So what are you having for breakfast tomorrow?

Friday's Quote

The Great Pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do".

Fun Runs are Fun!

So I did my FIRST FUN RUN last month!  And it was great fun! Why did I always think you had to be an elite athlete to enter one of these things? We made it a family event and my gorgeous cousin, Lauren was up from Brisvegas so she was excited to join Team McGhie!

WOW! So many people of all shapes, sizes and vast age groups. We realised we had been missing out! What a wonderful way of getting outdoors with our kids and doing something together as a family amongst the community. 

So my point is - please don't feel you have to be super fit or an elite athlete to compete in your city's annual fun runs! Who knows you might just get hooked! Check your local guides and papers for upcoming events and commit to it! The entry fee usually supports a local charity or foundation so it's WIN WIN!!!  Oh yeh, you can walk it too! There's no pressure! It's about getting out and giving it a GO!  Zoom! Zoom!

RPM - Feel the Fire!

Undoubtably my true passion in any kind of fitness / exercise routine is RPM (Les Mills). From the time I start driving to the class the anticipation kills me! For the record, RPM is a high energy indoor cycling class choreographed to loud (very loud) music! It incorporates a lot of resistance and interval training. It's about pushing those pedals through the floor and turning and burning and feeling the fire within. The endorphin high you feel is indescribable! Can you tell I love it?!!! So much so, I got up and shadowed with the instructor tonight, the lovely LJ!

Now I will not sugarcoat it to you, the first 4 or so classes are torture and you are left wondering what everyone is on! However! Persevere my friends, you get immediate results from these classes and you'll crave it more and more. Set yourself the challenge and watch your fitness levels fly through the roof.  If you keep it up, you will blast your cellulite, gun off the weight and shape your legs and butt like nobody's business! But there is one condition, you must put your heart and soul into each class and never cheat on the resistance dial. Why bother going anyway if you're not going to commit to it 110%! Be true to yourself and always empty the tank and you will reap the benefits! I promise you that!!!

I can honestly say that I am a self-confessed RPM addict now. I do three to four classes a week.  It's in my blood!  I don't necessarily go now for the reason of weight loss, I go because I love it and I obviously want to maintain my tone. But more than anything, I will continue to always go because it makes me happy!!! It makes me ALIVE!!! Some people choose pokie machines but I choose a stationery bike! LOL! I love it so much that I have heart palpitations on the drive there for fear of missing out on a front row bike. This has never happened but I'm not prepared to risk it! Now that's dedication!!! 

Here's a Tip! Find something to focus on in your RPM room. At my gym, (DCF!) we ride in the dark and the walls are painted like the Sydney Skyline at night including the Sydney Harbour Bridge and all the skyscrapers are lit up shining brightly! For me, there one light on a particular skyscraper I used to (and still) focus on and when I would feel like I was going barf up a lung I'd focus on the red / pink light on that particular skyscraper (see pic above) and chant to myself "sass + bide, sass + bide". It was my way of keeping my eye on the prize! Sass + Bide refers to my jeans that I'd had for 6 years and had never really fitted me properly. So I'd chant that to myself and tell myself I was not giving up and no one was going to take my "prize" away! Well I am happy to report not only did the jeans eventually fit me they actually look like MC Hammer pants on me now. Ridiculous isn't it! But freakin' awesome! Sooooo find something to focus on and think of yourself reading this blog. Imagine me sitting on your shoulder! What would Dee say? What would she want me to do? Turn and Burn baby!!! Feel the music in YOU...Go for it!!!

Let's talk about time shall we?

When I first saw my fatty boom-ba photo last year, I was mortified - and that's putting it lightly! I think we can all relate to one of those moments in our lives yeh? But one factor remains true, it is up to us to take ownership and responsibility for the sake of our health and well being. Whether its 5kgs or 50kgs, the principle is the same. Take action and never look back. No more excuses people!!!!!

I know how overwhelming the thought of losing a big number is. Daunting yeh? Well do what I did. Break it down (for me sister! hehe) Sorry, random singing!! For me, I said "right! let's lose 5kgs!" I set myself a personal challenge! Then when you do that, rejoice!, then repeat! 5 becomes 10 - then changes become obvious. Now I will explain all the things I did "exercise-wise" and "food-wise" in various blog posts but I just want to help you set yourself up mentally.  Get your head right and everything snowballs from there!

Now onto the TIME issue! One excuse that constantly gets up my goat is people commending me and then in the same breathe they tell they don't have time to excercise!!!! Grrrrrr!!!!! Well! Excuse Me!!! But as far as I was aware we are all given 24 hours in a day, it's just up to YOU as an individual how we use those hours? Got it!!! So see how this ties into getting your head right? Right! Get it into your head that you're going to make time for exercise. Yes, you'll get criticised and you'll be the worse person in the world. But listen here, there are a lot of bitter and twisted people out there - they are just jealous because they can't get up off their arse!!! There I said it!! Dam straight! Make the time, it's your time, use it and use it well!!!

I used to use the "lack of time" excuse in the past but now I go to the gym or go running 6 or 7 times a week.  I aim for a day off but I just can't get enough basically.  It's just part of who I am now.  And it's the BEST!!! And you don't have to join a gym per se if its not your thing, just get moving! But if you have considered joining a gym then you'll be surrounding yourself with like-minded people who will become your friends and who encourage you and support you! I have met some unbelievably amazing people at my gym, (Go Domain Central Fitness, Wooooo!!!!) they've seen my highs and lows and they just CARE! ... it's as simple as that! But no matter what gym you join, they all have timetables which accommodate for everyone. They are open all hours! Some are even open 24/7 these days!! They are open FOR YOU! So what are you waiting for? GO!!!!!

Well Hello There!!!

My first blog entry! No pressure or anything!!! Geez! Ok, so we're all expected to be a "Jack of all Trades" these days. Right? Well wouldn't we be more efficient and happier for that matter, if we did everything in a fit and healthy body? The answer is obvious.... Yes!

This blog is about me and how I lost a lot of weight and changed my body shape. Some people don't recognize me. My doctor was one of them. So I figured I'd start a blog about the real truths of losing weight and fueling your body the right way!! It is not about starving yourself, "drinking" your meals or detox potions. None of that!!! Ever!!! It is brutally honest and it's about being honest with yourself. It's also about believing in yourself and being consistent.

After baby no. three (all boys) I would walk 5klms a day, Monday to Friday when my eldest two boys were at school. But the scales never moved. Ever! In saying that, I also thought at the time that it was OK to eat Camembert cheese every Friday night washed down with a few bevvies. Strewth! What was I on?? Anyway, I was horribly wrong and came to the realization that I had expanded to a cuddly 92kgs! What the?

The worst part of this is that I didn't think I looked that bad. I knew I wasn't looking foxy by any means but it wasn't until I downloaded my photos off my iPhone onto my Mac that I nearly passed out from the sheer shock of seeing myself looking "all blown up!" Who was that person??

It was my "light bulb" moment! You know the one I'm talking about?! My immediate reaction in my mind, That is it!!!!

I decided there and then that I had two choices. I could continue to get bigger or I could get off my arse and do something about it! Well of course, I did the latter. I had discussed with my doctor about losing weight and I had explained to her that I had been doing heaps of walking but she politely suggested I "up the anti" and join a gym! Eeek! Hadn't been to one of those for a while.

Alrighty then! So I went to the local gym that everybody raved about (Domain Central Fitness) and thought Ok... firstly the creche facilities have to exceed my expectations. If I was going to commit to this then I had to know in my mind that for the one hour I was in a class that my baby was going to be well cared for.

So on arrival to the gym I went straight to the creche to get a vibe! Well it was perfect!!! No turning back now. No more excuses! May I also just say at this point, so many women will say to me today, "Oh, I've got a little one, (ie. baby), I can't join the gym... blah, blah, blah". Well Hello! I'm not holding a tray of pork chops here!!!! This is actually child number three for me and as much as I love him, I am entitled to my timeout too. Sure they'll scream and have meltdowns but they adjust and ultimately look forward to it. Persevere ok!!

Look! It's fair say that we cannot control every aspect of our lives, but if we can look in the mirror and feel proud of ourselves, then I'm pretty sure you'd agree that that makes life pretty Great! Children not only want a happy, fit and healthy mother but it is essential for an awesome family dynamic! Raising a family is tough, we may as well be fit and healthy yeh?!