Happy

So I lost my gym mojo. I went in on Sunday to do a quick set of cardio and a basic set of weights. I had places to be and family to catch up with. And I had to be there relatively early. When I left I was tired, and cranky. I hurt. And I was sick of the fact that the gym takes up ALL of my time. I mean, its not like I have the greatest social life, or guys lining up to date me, but I'd like to have the option of it at least.

*sigh*

I had no drive, no desire to go on Monday. I reaaallllyyy had to drag myself there. Most of the time, when I do, I perk up once I start exercising. Not Monday. No Sir-ee. I was in full blown PMS meltdown and all my body wanted was carbs and chocolate. I wanted chips and donuts. Despite the fact that the last time I had donuts was about a year ago. And as for chips - one packet before the challenge started. And I don't remember the time before. Yep. Full blown hormonal rebellion.

I did, as an aside, discover how to fake cake batter. If you mix Nestle Diet (cuz I fucking love it in all its creamy, no fat, low carb dietary orgasmness) with a bit of chocolate protein powder, you get the correct texture. That thick, gooey chocolatey mess. Yum. It has a very similar flavour. With the exception that it has a bit of a yogurt after-tang. But still, when you can't have, that's about as close as you're gonna get.

I took Tuesday off. I was feeling ever so slightly more motivated, but I decided that I needed a break. So I took it. Stayed in and did... nothing. Watched Buffy. That's it. I didn't cook. I reheated some Thai chicken/prawn soup. I didn't clean. I just.did.nothing. And it was great.

Today was much better. Had a coffee pre gym to make sure I was perked up. But I didn't need it. I was on fire. Running a bit faster than my norm. I hit my 3K mark about a minute earlier. Did legs with Simon. He told me we're gonna get me spray tanned for the last photos. And that we're going to revamp my diet as of next week. I told him the scales were going up. And he said 'Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. Halfway through the challenge, if all is going well, you'll be putting on weight.' Gee. Thanks Simon. A little late with the info, but still much appreciated. Got complimented by one of the trainers during my session. Hit the cross trainer post session. Had some random woman appraoch me to tell me that she's been watching me for ages, and that I'm doing really, really well. Which put a hell of a smile on my face. Then the next thing I know, its 8pm and I'm leaving the gym. Absolutely on top of the world.

I'm glad I have my gym mojo back. Life is just better at the gym.

Week 7

So. Its the end of week 7 of the challenge. I'm still working hard. Not that anyone is really that surprised, hey?

Not much to tell this week. I did get a lovely compliment from one of the (gay) guys at work. In writing. Denovos is the cafe name.



Today we had a BBQ for the challenge. It was quite fun. We played games and ran around like fools for an hour, then ate some really taaasty steak and salad.

There was a circuit of sandbags that we had to do various things to. One of which was a shoulder press, doing a squat and lifting the bag over our head to the other shoulder. Squat and repeat. I told one of the girls in the challenge that I could see it breaking over my head, and getting covered in sand. She said she could see it happening to me. Sure enough, when she was in front of me, she put the bag down, turned to me and said, 'that thing has got a leak in it'. I'm just grateful its the day I wash my hair :$

After the BBQ we headed back to the gym and I clocked up 30 minutes running on the treadmill. I didn't really feel that I'd done a strenuous enough work out.

Todays weight - 74.8

Inspiration

If my Dad can come back from the brink of death, with brain damage, and only have a bloody limp, then I sure as fuck can keep pedalling when my legs want to fall off, and push that weight one more time, and give up chocolate. Hackworthy's are bloody hard to kill and we don't quit.

I will be proof of that.

Todays weight 75.4.

Week 6

So we're into week 6 of the challenge. Not quite at the end. Halfway mark is on Saturday.

So, to recap, started at 82.3. Last 'official' weigh in was 76.5. So in 5 weeks that's a loss of 5.8kg. Not too bad. I've clocked up 3 losses of around 2 kg, and stayed flat for 2 weeks. Those weeks being the conference, and the week before my last weigh in.

Which is not really my bad. Honestly. I went home to visit Dad and was working my butt off. I had tuna and vita weats at Maccas on every stop along the way. Not that I stopped a whole lot. And I went running/walking every day. I made my own chicken salads. Which was kinda hard in the face of the feast that Mum served the last night. Lasagne. Potatoes. Salad. Wine. And a fucking gorgeous cheese and tomato twist from bakers delight. Stupid me went and picked my favourite bread for dinner. I swear I can eat half of one of those all by myself. Annny way. I made myself a lovely chicken salad. And I really did enjoy it.

My downfall was the chocolate. Damn the chocolate. Earlier that day Mum and I had been to factory sales and they had Enerst Hillier choc coated fruit and nuts for $2/500g. I bought 2 packs and Mum bought 1. Mum opened up her pack and I was picking at it. Rather than take a few here and there I'd have a small handfull, walk away, and come back 20-30 min later for another one.

Weigh in was the next day, in the PM. I was dehydrated and had just been in the car for about 8 hours. So not really sure how that afected the weigh in.

Work outs have been good. I'm taking a much needed day off the gym. Did an epic session on Sunday (2.5hr) and have been killing myself at the gym ever since. Getting less painful each session. Had legs with Simon last night. So now my butt is extra sore. I guess I'm gonna have to get used to this. *sigh* But its worth it in the long run. I did sumo squats last night. I half half of my body weight on my shoulders. Just cuz I could. And then Belgian Split lunges. With 30 kg weights. I'm surprised I can even stand to sit.

I've also started doing protein shakes as I leave the gym. I have 2 proteins. One is good. Tastes like a coffee milkshake without milk. The other is not so good. Tastes like talcum powder in water with a vague chocolate flavour. I've also started having L-carnitine to assist recovery. 1 gram split pre and post workout. Strangely, its since I've started doing this that I feel sorer. Mayhap I'm just working harder.

Diet is going well. I am cutting back on carbs where I can. www.calorieking.com.au is a fantastic resource. Gives me a complete calorie breakdown of what I've eaten. I'm switching away from my museli in the morning, to rolled oats, protein and berries and cinnamon. Gotta give the cardboard some flavour.

AND I've changed around my snacks slightly. I used to eat an apple as I left work, and then some vita weats when I got home, pre gym. Now I eat the apple as I get off the train and head straight to the gym. Bonus! Means I get there earlier and I can save myself some time at night. Me likey.
One other diet change - my last snack of the day is a boiled egg. My diet is too low in fat, so having a little bit, with no carb, at the end of the day is the smartest choice for me. Much better than low calorie fruit yoghurt.

Conference

Ok. So its been a big few weeks for me. I ended up heading to NZ for work. Conference. And in all of its fully catered glory, I still managed to diet. Sort of.

First day I headed out to the supermarket to stock up on muesli, tuna and vita weats. Diet staples. I also found NZ has canned chicken. Low fat. Phwoar! I thought, 'Aus has seriously gotta jump on that bandwagon'. Until I tried it! Salty and with no texture. Seriously, Aus is better off without the canned chicken.

That first day was tough. I got up at 6.45 and snuck off to the gym. That's 4.45 by my body clock. Then a quick shopping trip, breakfast, and off to seminars. For a full day. They catered morning tea (pastries, from memory), and lunch. No idea what it was, I tended to avoid food times and head back to my room to eat. After the conference (8 long, loong hours later) I was knackered. And they bought out cheese. Blue cheese, foot cheese, brie, crackers, and free alcohol.

I ran.

Had a freakout in my room, then decided I wasn't going to let the situation get the best of me. I had some strawberries and headed back up to mingle.

Then dinner that night was impossible. Curried sausages, lasagne, and some kind of greasy chicken drumsticks, potato salad, tomato and rocket. No vego option. I asked the *cute* bar tender if there was one, and he told me the chef offered to make me pasta.

I left. In tears. It was really hard. All this free alcohol, right in my face. Tired, hungry. I just wanted to sleep. But ultimately I wanted this. I wanted to take myself out of my comfort zone. How else does one grow as a person? I went to the bar and got some type of salad with cheese. Totally not diet, but better than what was on offer.Ironic seeing as I'd avoided the cheese so hard that afternoon.

Next day I decided to check up on the menu prior to the dinner. Steak and veges. Not too bad. I'd decided not to have the dessert. Until it came out. Try saying no to that.



And then I saw the alternative. And I got ridiculously excited.


Clearly, I had the alternative. And it was great!

Overall, I tried my best in NZ. I ate diet where possible, and good where diet was not. I went to the gym at the hotel three times (cardio & body weights). Sweated and grunted and groaned all the way. But I did it. The gym had an AWESOME view of wellington harbour.



And the days where I wasn't sweating it out in front of this view, I was walking around being all touristy.

Overall, I did quite well. When I jumped on the scales the night after I got back I was 80.9. Considering I don't really count any weigh in after lunch I was quite happy.

Busted my arse all last week at the gym. Diet is just sooo much easier to keep when you're in a routine. I was hoping to crack 80 this week. So imagine my shock when I weighed in at 78.7. Yup. Lightest weight ever! I don't think I'm going to get sick of saying that.

So far with the 12 week challenge (3 weeks in) I've lost 3.7kg.

Breaking it down

I know I've been away for a whole week, and I will post about it, at some stage. When I get around to it. But I've just walked out of a seminar at the gym and I need to clear my head and tally up some numbers. This is my basic dietary breakdown.

Today:
Cal:1156. Fat:21.1 (17%). Pro:73.7 (26%) Carb:166 (58%)

Yesterday
Cal:1266. Fat:28.5 (21%) Pro:84.6 (27%) Carb:159.6 (52%)

Tues:
Cal:1172. Fat:18.8. Pro:82.2 Carb:168.5

Mon:
Cal 1338. Fat: 27.7 Pro: 110.3 Carb: 155.8

Thurs:
Cal 1265. Fat: 23 Pro: 84.3 Carb: 175.7

Average
Cal: 1239.4
Fat: 23.8
Pro: 87
Carb: 165.1

Quick update-age: (UPDATED)

Just wanted to say:

I BOUGHT SIZE 16 JEANS TODAY!
I got my usual "bootcut" style
BUT
I also got the "slim" style and I tried the 18s on first and they were TOO DAMN BIG!
OMG! SIZE 16!!!!

*MissE does the happy dance all the way out of the lounge room and into bed! Seriously contemplates sleeping with the new jeans... but decides not to because she plans on wearing them tomorrow.*

Update:
Here's me in one of my new pairs of jeans:
Not the greatest shot ever (Mum's a bit of a technophobe and doesn't do so well with the mobile phone/camera), but you get an idea (I hope) of how the jeans look.