What a difference a year makes

Many times over the years I have tried to lose weight. If there was any diet out there, I have tried it. Been there, done it and got the t-shirt. They worked for a short while, but no sooner the weight had come off, it would pile back on again. I would say that I have spend hundreds of pounds over the years, on personal training sessions, hypnosis, bootcamps, weird diets, the list goes on. Getting into London Marathon was the time that I thought I would shift it, how could I not with all that running? But I piled it on during training, and I ended up looking like this:

I was looking through all my London Marathon photos the other day and to be honest I was shocked at what I saw. I know I have lost a lot of weight this year, 32lbs to be exact, but I had no idea how bad I looked! Considering the event that I was about to do, it is no surprise that I didn't achieve what I wanted to on the day, it makes me really embarrassed to see this photograph, but we have to accept these things to move on. Now I can use it as motivation to never get there again, my official before photo, well, one of the many, this is another, and it's a shocker!!

That me on the right with my wonderful sister, and was taken at my best friends engagement party 3 years ago. Now that is somewhere that I don't want to be again!

When I had completed London Marathon, I knew I desperately needed to do something about my weight, so I got in touch with the only Personal Trainer that I have really trusted and knew reasonably well, Oli Thompson at Peak Fitness in Warwick. Oli and I fought for a few months whilst I was trying to get my diet together and into a different mindset of training, but we both stuck with it and soon enough the results started coming. I think the main issue was that I had no set goal, I had toyed with the idea of attempting a 70.3 distance triathlon , more half marathons and other ridiculous challenges, so much so that I forgot the main goal, to get onto shape. I realised that I risked doing exactly the same as I did when training for London Marathon and putting on weight. Once I had accepted this and forgot all the other stuff I was able to focus on what I needed to do, how I needed to change my diet and what to focus on during training sessions.

I think the main thing that has changed over the last few months is my attitude. After my abysmal attempt at a sub30 5k you would have thought the world had ended, but a talking to from my sister Helen bought it home to me, whether I got a sub30 or not did not determine the person I had become, my attitude and determination towards the transformation that I had started determined the person that I had now become and I had to keep focused on what I wanted to achieve - losing weight. The sub30 would come, it just wasn't my day, and like Helen said, maybe speed just isn't my thing,  but endurance is.

A couple of weeks ago was Regency Runners Christmas Party, so was a chance to get dressed up, which I love to do, my false lashes can never be too long! I had a great night, and was shocked by the other runners reaction to how I looked. One girl, Michelle, who I ran with a few times during training for London Marathon and I'd not seen since didn't even recognise me, I was asked on numerous occasions where my bust had disappeared to and told I looked like everything had been sucked in and lifted up, and in a photograph taken before I left the house I almost look as if I have a jawline! I must admit that it was a great boost in confidence going to Christmas to see that all the hard work over the last 6 months had paid off.

I had set myself targets for the end of December which were to get that elusive sub30 5k, something that maybe a little ambitious and I don't think I am going to get but I still have 2 days left to try for it so I have to do as I'm told by my running mentor and run like I mean it! The second was to drop 6lb on December, again something that I am not going to make, but I'm still taking a positive from it that I am still coming out of December 2lbs lighter than I went into it, considering my usual December involves at least 6 dozen mince pies and 4 tins of Quality Street my self control over the festive period was brilliant, only cracking for dessert during Christmas dinner and 7 single Roses in the evening. I have kept my training up throughout the month, I have missed a couple of active recovery days over the month but I haven't missed a strength session, and have upped the weights that was set at the beginning of the month by Oli so I am hoping that when it comes to weigh in my muscle mass will have increased and that my body fat percentage will have gone down. The third target that I set myself for the end of December was to complete 6 full press ups, which I completed 2 sets of yesterday, hooray!

Overall I feel so much better, it's a good feeling to know that my clothes fit and I have even thrown some clothes out for being far too big. Today I not only bought a new coat, but I bought it from GAP, somewhere that I have never shopped before (mainly as they stock size 4, which I don't understand) and I didn't have to just settle for the coat that had the biggest size, I could chose from many and actually instead of needing the XL it was the L that fitted and to be fair, even though that is still a really big size, it is huge steps considering that in January I was wearing a size 18 which was too tight, and now I am comfortably wearing a size 16 and I can see my curves coming back, I have a proper waist and the relentless squats that Oli has put in my programme seem to be doing my bum some good, peachy!

I have such a long way to go on this journey so I mustn't get complacent, I have to keep focused as I go into the New Year and I know I have the support to do this with family and friends, Oli, Paul aka  @TheIron_Bear and all the lovely people that I talk to on Twitter who are going through their own journeys, it's good to know that you can lean on complete strangers for support, they never judge you, just give encouragement and I can't thank them enough. 

So, looking into the New Year and 2013, I have to set myself some targets to meet:

1. Reduce my body fat percentage to 25%
2. Enroll in Level 3 Diploma in Personal Training
3. Run a sub30 5k (I won't let this one go!)
4. Shrink to a size 12

Ok, lets go....

Obsession is commitment

During my last post I mentioned how motivated I felt after my lastpersonal training session. That was two weeks ago now, and I'm pleased to saythat my motivation hasn't slipped, in fact, I am flying through the month andam feeling in control, making good choices and following my training plan tothe letter. This is a big thing for me, as my past Decembers have involved meeating as much food as I can. I'm being serious about this, I used December asan excuse for a free for all, every day I would eat to excess, mince pie aftermince pie, Quality Street until they came out my ears, you name it I ateit...... it was ok though, after all it was Christmas. In fact I distinctlyremember troughing my way through a tin of Quality Street within the first weekof the month, then going out and buying boxes as 'refills' for the tin (mainlyso visitors were less likely to know how many I have eaten). So as you tell,this December I am a completely different person!

I have had one cheat day this month, when friends visited. Thiswas an agreed cheat meal with Oli so it was allowed and part of the plan thathe had set for me for the month, I am allowed one more, which we agreed to beChristmas Day. Now, my original plan was to wake up early on Christmas Day and face-plant into a tin of Quality Street, but after how I felt the dayafter eating pizza on my planned cheat day, and an unexpected small weightgain, I've decided not to take Christmas Day as a cheat day, instead I am going to stay disciplined and strong.

Part of the reason that I have been able to stay focused thismonth is because I have carried on with the Advent Challenge that I mentionedduring my last post. Every day we are challenged to either a physical challengesuch as 5k runs or squats and lunges continually through BBC SPOTY (very closeto giving up on that one....so tough!!) or a challenge such as drink enoughwater, book a race for next year, give yourself only 6 nights of drinking forthe rest of the month. I have to say, it has been a great motivational tool forme and a few friends and has helped me to stay on track and continue to makegood choices as regards to food and training throughout the month.@StuartAmoryPT is a great follow on Twitter, I'd recommend him to anyone as hismotivational tools are excellent.

I mentioned earlier that after my cheatmeal I gained a little weight that I can't seem get rid of, this could also bedue to the fact that it's that time of the month so I could be retaining alittle water, but still, it's been bugging me over the last few days. Manypeople wouldn't recommend weighing yourself every day,but for me it helps to keep me on track, if I miss a few days, I don't have tomake myself accountable, then I lose my focus. I have been stuck on the samenumber now for 5 days or so, and am getting frustrated. I talked this morningto my friend Paul who said I mustn't get consumed bythe number, as it's what is going on inside that matters, so muscle mass, bodyfat % etc. I get this, but my 'obsession' isn't just with the scales, it isalso with my diet, discipline with training, choices I make, surely this is howit is supposed to be to keep me focused, or just that it works this way for me.I saw a quote somewhere a few weeks ago that completely makes sense to me -"You call it an obsession, I call it commitment"

Milestones

Today has been one of those days that just keeps on giving! I can't remember the last time I have felt so motivated and focused, if ever.

This morning I woke up and weighed in. This is not my official weigh in, that was later on this morning before a PT session with Oli at Peak Fitness, but it gives me an indication of what I have lost. So, according to my scales, since my weigh in the day before London Marathon, I have lost 30lbs! I was curious to see what this has done to my BMI. So after a quick search on the internet I had worked it out to be 29.8, which meant I was no longer in the obese category! Aces! I'm not usually a fan of the BMI scale, but I found that this time, it really proved to me that what I am achieving is pretty amazing, I'm getting results, one step at a time.

Generally I have had a mixed few weeks, after the Impetigo incident where I was on house arrest for a week  and generally feeling sorry for myself at my temporary  deformed appearance, I had my bad run during a race (see last post) and then a week away where I found it very difficult to stay focused on eating clean (all with a horrible routine that Oli had set me 3 times a week!!). One thing I have found easy is picking myself back up and getting back on it again, which leads me to the conclusion that routine is really important to me; it enables me to stay focused.

Coming up to the beginning of December I was as usual offered an advent calendar by my Dad, and sensibly declined. This simple yearly tradition always end in exactly the same way, tearing the whole thing open on the 1st December and filling a bowl with all 24 chocolates, then polishing them off in about 15 minutes before hiding the wrapping at the bottom of the bin! Not this year though!!

I follow a guy on twitter @StuartAmoryPT and had noticed that he was setting an Advent Challenge so thought I would give it a go, so not only was I getting smugatronic from no chocolate but I was motivating myself towards Christmas which I know is going to be a huge challenge for me. The Advent challenge started with a 5k run on Saturday, which I did, not a fantastic time, but negative splits and consistency, something that I haven't had for some time! Sunday was a dietary challenge, no sweets, chocolate or cake which I found quite easy, so stuck a strength session in for good measure. Today's challenge is to complete the hashtag #bytheendof2012, after a lot of thinking a decided on the sub30 5k that is bugging me, 5 man press ups and 6lb weight loss. So today I have made myself accountable, and have 4 weeks, eeek! I'm looking forward to the next 21 days’ worth of challenges!

As I mentioned earlier today was PT day, we started with the usual weigh in, Oli's scales weigh slightly heavier than mine which meant according to these measurements my BMI is still over 30, but not by much, and as I said earlier, I don't usually take this measurement into account anyway. My own personal target this month was to get below 40% body fat, and I did just that with a reading of 38.7%, so I was well happy.

My muscle mass has gone down slightly but as Oli said I have had good results despite the ups and downs that I have had this month, so it's all positive. We also chatted about my diet over the next month, basically more of the same, and we have agreed on two cheat days, this Friday coming as  I have friends round in the evening, and Christmas Day.

I was a little apprehensive of what exercises Oli had in store for me today, seeing as though I had hated last month’s so much and threw my toys out my pram during every single set in every session! As I was warming up he got a few bits and pieces ready as he explained that he would be switching things up for the next month.

This month I was to concentrate on upping the weight, dropping the repetitions to 8, upping the sets to 6 and increasing rest time to 2 minutes. He did say that I might find this a little boring but I already liked the sound of it as heavy weights are my favourite. During the exercises Oli was taking the weights off me and replacing them with heavier weights, apparently I was making the exercises look far too easy! So once we had got the weights right, this was the programme that was agreed for the next month:

10 minutes cycle warm up, followed by:

• Squats, bum to ankles, 8kg dumbbells x 8
• Shoulder press, 9kg dumbbells x 8
• Repeat x 6
• Lunges, 8kg dumbbells x 8 each leg
• Lat pull down, 45kg x 8
• Repeat x 6
• 250m sprint row x 4, aim to beat previous time each time

This programme is to be completed 3 times a week, and Oli has also asked me to include active rest a couple of days a week, and I can continue to run with Regency Runners once a week, but no more than 3 miles.

We also had a little chat about my obsession with getting this sub30 for a 5k, Oli reminded me that this was not what I was training for, and to do so could risk me losing muscle so for the time being, this can go on the back burner. We talked about my own personal target of getting down to 25% body fat, and he is confident that I will get there in good time for the summer.  I skipped out of there really looking forward to the month ahead, and ready to tackle Christmas head on!

So I'll end with a photo, left is me in August, and the right is me this morning. It appears I'm losing my boobs!! (Hooray!) and my hips seem to be shaping up nicely