Blogger Challenge - Week 2

Thanks to 12wbt I've decided to give myself a whopping big dose of my own medicine. Many of my clients are sad, depressed, fed up with how they look/feel/think. While I'm listening to them pouring out their thoughts I make a note of them and later I email them with a summary of what's they've told me, more or less in their own words. I ask them to do a simple exercise ... to rewrite the whole paragraph without using 'not' or n't (LOL - yes, I've cottoned on to the cheating!!). In honour of this week's challenge, well, here it is ... my OWN medicine. Time to take a few minutes to spend on 'me'. This is what I need to do ... to allow myself time to concentrate on myself a little. I'm taking up 'me-time'! I'm also thrilled to be back rowing again. I haven't belonged to a gym in a couple of years, but 12wbt suddenly gave me the urge to get back in there - mostly so I could use the erg (rower). I'm really happy to be able to use that evil machine once more. And for the next 12 weeks, I'm also going to give myself the gift of attempting to be proud of myself once in a while for little achievements. 

Now ..... the medicine:

MY OWN MEDICINE - PART 1 : How I'm feeling (the negatives):

This last week couldn't have been worse. It started off relatively stressy and the stress continued to rise and rise. I've felt bitter and angry and downright sorry for myself. In retrospect, I think I could've given any teenager a run for their money with the number of tantrums and tears. I haven't felt like that for a long time. It eats me up inside and I can't do anything about it other than wait it out. I was so excited about 12wbt. I couldn't wait for it to start ... and then I found I couldn't concentrate on it or give it the attention it deserved. Nothing was going right. My February budget ran out. I have NO money - and 6 people to feed. My daughter's shoes have holes in them and it breaks my heart not to be able to buy her new ones. My dog is dying and I can't afford to take her to the vet! Yep! I'm not used to it and it tears me apart. Roll on March! My nutrition has been fine apart from the weekend. I shouldn't have had wine and a second helping of dessert at my brother's house - but nothing was going to stop me. One blow-out - and then my first weigh-in I put on weight. I can't really see how I deserve that, but it happened. There's just no escape sometimes and I can't see the wood for the trees. I hate being 'down' and I don't often feel sorry for myself, so apologies to anyone who's reading this. I hope you've rolled your eyes, given up and gone and made a cup of coffee. There's nothing worse than reading other people's drivel ... which is why I don't do this - ever!! But I promised I'd do what I get my clients to do, so ... now I'm going to turn this around. I have to! I haven't done very well today and it's only 10 a.m. My breakfast is too high in calories so lunch isn't going to consist of much - and let's not mention the dreaded Pilates at 2 p.m. - if I haven't shot myself before then at the very thought of it (just kidding)! 

PART II - MY OWN MEDICINE - A GIFT TO MYSELF (the rewrite):

This last week has been a real challenge. It started off relatively stressy and the stress continued to rise and rise. I've felt bitter and angry and downright sorry for myself. In retrospect, I think I could've given any teenager a run for their money with the number of tantrums and tears. It's been a long time since I felt like that. It eats me up inside because I'm generally such a positive person, but my positive nature tends to help me in these circumstances because I find it so difficult to sit around simply riding out the storm. I have to do something! I was so excited about 12wbt. I was chomping at the bit, waiting for it to start ... and when life throws a curve-ball and distracts me from my main focus, I tumble - because I'm a firm believer that you give everything 200% and anything less is unacceptable, so I was miserable because 12wbt needed all my concentration and deserved every bit of attention, but LIFE was screaming from elsewhere and pulling me away! It's challenging, to say the least, when everything cosy and wonderful starts to go pear-shaped. My February budget ran out. Trying to feed 6 people on zero pounds has been a real lesson in financing - but hey! I've done it so far ... and only 4 more days to go until I can breathe again (if shallowly) ... and the kids are still healthy and smiling and loving my inventiveness!!! That's got to be good, right? My daughter's shoes have holes in them and it breaks my heart to tell her she'll have to wait another couple of weeks for new ones, but this is a good lesson for her! It's got to be positive to learn that the best things in life are those things you have to wait for - even if it's a pair of shoes! I think perhaps this week is teaching her valuable lessons - that money trees lose their leaves sometimes, too - and need rain to be able to grow again! (excuse the crap analogy, but actually, I think that works quite nicely lol). My dog is dying and the vet will have to wait! This is difficult, because she's given us only the most wonderful gift of unconditional love and loyalty and I wonder what this lesson is? I need the lessons, perhaps, but Misty? All I can think is that if she passes away in the next week, then it was meant to be - and she's surrounded by a family who adores her and it will be peaceful. Perhaps it's her time, after all. Roll on March! Now, back to 12wbt ... My nutrition has been fine apart from the weekend. Should I have had wine and a second helping of dessert at my brother's house? I think that as long as I remain completely accountable for it, then why not? I suppose what's wrong with that is that I'm regretting it, so next time - wine and dessert, OK, but without regret. Accountability. Action. Guilt-FREE! Life will happen. One blow-out, however, affected my first weigh-in. I put on weight and felt rubbish, but - as I've said above - it's all about accountability. Moving forwards. Let's do it! There is ALWAYS an escape route. Sometimes it's just difficult to see the wood for the trees, but the sun still shines in the densest of woods, and rain still falls to enable growth.


I hate being 'down' and feeling sorry for myself, so apologies to anyone who's reading this because it IS unlike me. I hope you've rolled your eyes, given up and gone and made a cup of coffee. But perhaps you've got something from this, too. Perhaps you'll also see how your thoughts, feeling and actions affect the thoughts, feelings and actions of everyone around you. This is why I really avoid admitting negativity - because I need people around me to be cheerful and happy. Life is often uncooperative, but I feel that if I'm smiling, at the very least, somebody  somewhere will smile with me. 'Drivel' is a harsh word, perhaps, for an outpouring of stress and tantrums - but maybe that's a good way of looking at it. It makes it less perfect and it makes it more trivial. I like the idea of turning stress and problems into trivia. Wait! Did I say 'problems'? I meant 'challenges'! Yes, that's it! So, you see  ... I promised I'd do what I get my clients to do, so ... and I did - and I've turned everything around. It works! It's now 11.23 and things are looking a lot brighter than they were at 10 a.m., even though my breakfast calories were a bit on the high side! Lunch will have to be light, yes, but that simply means I need to think carefully about the calories and what I'm putting on my plate - it can still be a large portion, so long as it's the right kind of food! Another learning experience. But ohhhhhhhhhh a stumbling block called Pilates! How can I write something positive about Pilates? I would rather have that bullet in the head. But hang on! The sooner I get there, the sooner it'll be over, right? And it IS helping my knees, even if it's killing me brain cell by little brain cell LOL There are, after all, worse things than Pilates. Just imagine DOUBLE PILATES!!!!! :)


For anyone who listened/read/heard .... THANK YOU! But regardless, thank you to Whirlsie of http://nutritionally-yours.blogspot.com/ for this challenge - and for, in effect, giving me this gift.

Blogger Challenge - ABOUT ME!

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself.  What makes you, you?

Here we go, then ... I'm closing in on the big FIVE-OH - or is it closing in on me? I'm a mum of four amazing kids who make me proud and make me smile every single day. My favourite sports are running and kickboxing. I refuse to let age stop me doing anything, although my knees are not in agreement at all. AT ALL!!! I'm a PT, I adore my job, I'm passionate about what I do and I think/hope/have been told that I am motivating and, it seems, extremely persuasive. In short, I'm a persuasive and extremely stubborn cow who still thinks she's 30!

1. Why did you decide to do the 12WBT?

I joined 12wbt to allow myself to be pushed and helped towards some of my own goals. I spend my working hours looking after everybody else and their goals, while my dreams of hitting new numbers on the scales, getting fitter, getting stronger ... were constantly being pushed to the bottom of the priority list. 12wbt brought my goals much higher up on the list where they're now written in red ink and very visible.

1. What are you hoping to achieve through the program?

I want to feel proud of myself for seeing something through to completion. I want to feel fitter, stronger, proud of the way I eat and the way I see myself. I want to be able to give myself permission to feel good about myself - rather than expending all my energy on everybody else. Most of all, I just want the push to spend some time on myself and my own goals.

1. Why have you decided to blog about the 12WBT? What will be the main focus (eg, food, exercise, a bit of everything?)

Blogging helps me consolidate what I'm learning and it gives me a feeling of achievement. As long as I'm blogging I know I'm making progress. Mostly, I blog about training, my training goals and focus and what I'm learning along the way. Occasionally, I hope to be able to help some people out with some more targetted blogs, too - like my recent Beginner's Guide to the Rowing Machine blog, requested by someone on the forum. If I can help anybody anywhere along the way, my job is done!

1. How will you be exercising this round? Gym, home, outdoors or a mixture?

I'm a huge fan of outdoor exercise and I train my clients exclusively outdoors. I find it more creative and vitally important to re-learn how to love Nature and work with Her. I'll be combining my training with plenty of outdoor workouts, long-distance running and some regular gym sessions, which are currently vital while I strengthen my knees again.

1. What is your greatest strength that will help you?

When I set my mind to something, nothing will stop me. I hope this is going to help me see the programme through all the way to the end.

1. What are you afraid of?

The Finish Line. I get to within yards/metres of my finish lines and I turn tail and run back the way I came. I have a pathological fear of finishing. I think it stems from my mother teaching me to never try and be really good at one thing - just be happy with being reasonably good at lots of things. I've been fighting this psychological battle for years and am getting stronger and better at winning. I am VERY competitive, which is a good thing. It's just a matter of not bottling it in the last 500m.

1. What are you looking forward to the most over the next 12 weeks?

I am really looking forward to finishing every workout knowing I've done a good job, worked to max potential and taken a step closer to my goals. I've got some major goals in the next few months and this programme will, I know, play a big part in my success or downright failure in these events. I can't wait to feel the buzz of great nutrition, to welcome DOMS and to glow with a secret inner pride that comes from reaching for dreams.

1. What is your downfall? Food? Exercise? How will you overcome this?

My exercise is great until I spot that Finish Line Flag, so I need to watch out for that ---- but that's not going to be a problem this time round, is it? IS IT?? 

Food will be my downfall from time to time. I've got my red flag days clearly posted, but I can tell you now my target will have to be to work around them, because they WILL win. My goal will be to stop one red flag day turning into 5. That achievement in itself will make me happy. Same with red flag weekends. I need to make sure they don't flow into the following week! I don't have too many of them, so I am not going to stress and feel guilty over them. Portion sizes tend to be a problem for me - particularly in the evening. I aim to cook only what I'm about to eat and no more, so cooking meals to put in the fridge for lunch the following day will not be an option (basically, they won't make it to the fridge!!). 

1. If you had to pick one word to motivate you over the next 12 weeks, what would you choose?

FINISH!