So much food...so little time

It was much harder to crawl out of bed this morning. Might have been because I was up late writing my first blog or because I was still sore from yesterday's morning session and I knew what lay ahead! It was prolly a bit of both!  G got up with me and helped me set up the stations. I must admit, having an exercise buddy does make it easier.

Well, today's challenge centres around eating. I had expected to feel hungry when I started this program--but that hasn't been the case. In fact, it's quite the opposite. I'm finding it tough to regulate my eating times and to eat as often as I need to. By the time I get to work, get my desk organised and feel ready to eat breakfast, it's already almost 10 o'clock. Not ideal. Snack time falls around 11.45. Then I don't feel like eating my lunch and so at about 1.30 or so, I crack open my afternoon snack.  Definitely full now, but I know I have to eat lunch. So, 3pm rolls around and I make my way into the kitchen to make my sandwich. By the time I get that down, dinner is the last thing my stomach is interested in.

But, the weirdest thing happened to me tonight. My stomach felt full and uncomfortable. I'm sure it was still working it's way through my 3pm sandwich. Yet,  as I was preparing dinner for S, the smell of the 2minute noodles was almost irresistable!! It was like another force was trying to guide the spoon into my mouth. I'm not even that big a fan of 2 min noodles!! It took all of my will power, but you'll be pleased to note that I successfully fought off the urge to eat the noodles-even the leftover ones! Victory!

Definitely something to bring to my sessions with V.

Well, it's time to take these aching muscles to bed. G'nite all!

The 'Defining Moment'

Monday Oct 18^th: The ‘Defining Moment’

Have you ever looked back on a moment in time, with the perspective of a couple of days, and realised that the ‘off the cuff’ comment you made was actually a ‘defining moment’? Well, that happened to me a couple of weeks back.

I mentioned to my counsellor V that I thought I was ready to focus on my weight & my physical health. I should have known by the glint in her eye that my life was about to change, but at the time I took no notice.

Later that same evening (Monday Oct 18^th to be precise!), I checked my phone for msgs and there was one from V telling me about the group PT sessions that they run at the Centre Monday & Thursday mornings and asking if I was interested. It was a no-brainer. Nope. I’m not a morning person. Too easy.   

I was hanging out on the lounge innocently watching Monday night TV with G when the next text msg came through asking if I was serious about my goal of losing 25 kgs by my next birthday. Before I knew it V had presented me with an offer that I would be a fool to refuse.  5 minutes later, I had agreed to: a morning group session AND a ‘1 on 1’ personal training session per week both run by J, Sacred Centre’s resident Personal Trainer.

When I told my friends at work what had transpired the previous evening, they were very excited for me. In fact, 2 of them agreed to help me eat healthy at work! Thus, Team Jeannine: Keen To Be Lean, was born!

Suddenly, it was like the Universe was conspiring for my Success! I’ve never felt like that before. Amazing!!

…It’s just over 2 wks since that fateful night and my life has definitely changed. I now keep a food journal that both V & J have access to. Unlike other attempts to log what I eat, I have made a promise to myself that I will just record whatever passes these lips, without judging, editing or omitting anything. Tricky, challenging and awfully confronting; but I believe that honesty, especially with myself, is the key to this whole thing.

Tuesday Oct 26^th ‘Meeting J’

With visions of treadmills and scenes from ‘The Biggest Loser’ running wild in my head, I climbed the flight of stairs to Sacred Centre to meet J for the first time with a sense of trepidation. Completely unwarranted, as it turned out! J is lovely. Easy to chat to—not even the least bit scary.

We sat down, went over my 4 week goals, discussed a my food journal and talked about what I could expect from the Thursday morning group sessions. J took a ‘before’ photo. And that was that. First PT session-done & dusted.

Thursday Oct 28^th ‘Circuit’

Hauling my body outta bed this morning at the extra early hour of 5.30am to make it to my first group session was challenging. I stumbled out of the flat wearing black dress shoes with white socks and my ¾ length gray sweat pants. Minor fashion faux pas—easily fixed!

We started the morning with core muscle exercises. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that the room had been divided in half & lined up alongside the yoga mats were separate stations-6 stations to be exact. We were given 15 mins to complete the first circuit 2 times, followed by a 1 min rest break, then on to the next circuit.

What did I learn from this session? Well, in a nutshell, I learned that I am not a fan of lunges or squats and as it turns out, neither are my knees or my quads!! I managed to hold it together until it came time to face the stairs! Yep, you guessed it- jelly legs!!

Now, I expected to be a little stiff and sore; it comes with the territory. But, what I didn’t plan on, was how long it took me to recover!! It took until Monday for me to walk normally with out limping or grimacing! I suppose it didn’t help that I spent most of the weekend climbing stairs!

Monday November 1  ‘Counselling’

The battle of the bulge cannot be won by diet and exercise alone. I am very grateful to have someone that I can talk to about what it’s like to be me.

Tuesday November 2 ‘Taking the Circuits on the Road’

V and I agreed that I would do the normal workout at home for this week, and G offered to do it with me. I’m so lucky to have such a supportive partner. We set up the circuit stations as best we could in the lounge room and we did it together. It took longer than we expected so we agreed that we would just do the first circuit Thursday morning.

Thursday November 4^th

Up at 5.30. Work out gear on. A bit of a warm up, then straight into it! Done & dusted by 6am. My arms are aching! Man, I’m sure feeling it today!! In addition to the normal muscle fatigue and a knee that sounds like a bowl of rice bubbles when you first pour the milk on it, I seem to have developed a cramp in the arch of my left foot. Ahhh just call me the ‘walking wounded’.

Dunno how I’ll go tomorrow morning when I have to get up and face the next circuit.

And that's that....now we're up to date.