WEEK 4: Can I get a Whoop! Whoop!

My blog got choe-zen..... I lost some kay-geeze..... 

today is oar-summm!

Thanks the lords above for some P.O.S.I.T.I.V.I.T.Y Finally. I was starting to think that giving up the ciggies was a mistake..... JOKES! gotcha- as if! Best move ever, although there gave been some interesting side effects- which I will get to later. First let me gloat a little... WEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! I can't believe it. 

I started this blog shortly after the finalé workout. It's purpose was, and still is, to keep me accountable. It is also to share my experiences and stories and hopefully motivate and encourage my besties who had just come onboard for Round 2. AND NOW, well you all get a little piece of me! YAY I mean you may as well take it now because in 8 weeks there just won't be enough of me goin' round (if all goes to plan). So if you are a new visitor WELCOME and thanks for stopping by. I hope you can take something from this blog, even if it's just one of my heaps cool work-out tune suggestions. Also, thanks for those peeps out there that nominated me! I know who you are and I send virtual hugs your way.

Anywho, I better get on with it. I feel that there's just so much to get through this week.

Alrighty....so WIW. After last weeks poor results (with reason) I was determined to get those scales back to 75kg. Sorted out my exercise planner and promised myself to eat clean and burn some serious calories. So all was going to plan until I decided to take a sneaky peek on the scales on Sunday (come on I know I'm not the only one who does this).... WTF My weight had now rocketed to 78.2kg. Seriously? My heart sank. What the crap was going on?

Well that's exactly it, the crap wasn't going on. But this wasn't obvious to me until I tried to do the big Adventure Run on Sunday. Pumped for a 10km trail run around Studley Park and the Yarra, I intially felt really good. Unfortunately once I started running I felt soooo uncomfortable. I tried to push through the pain, even took a sneaky squat in the bush thinking that this would be the cure... NUP. I really couldn't do it. It was just me and Sarah because Susie was overseas (bayitch). It was a tough run to begin with - loads of hills, but I really wanted to push myself and get those calories burnt and my milage up. But it was just too tough. We cut the run short and power walked the rest of the way, not once did Sarah give me hell for giving up. Love that chick! Check Sarsie out below It was such a beautiful morning besides all my troubles. This was taken at the top of Studley Park- nice little view of the city in the background.

Anywho, back to the story - I really couldn't run anymore. And Sarah, the smart cookie, pointed it all out, "No Coffee? No Ciggies? It kind of makes sense Em if you think about it" OMGEEE, no wonder!
So, to cut a long story short and spare you of all the gorey details, (lets just say I succumbed to the Coffee's for medicinal purposes). I am slowly getting back into gear. I did another Bikram class on Monday for some more quality stretching and detoxing....AND YAY I weighed in this morning back at 75.2kg. Weeeeee.
Also, after waking up to hear that my blog was nominated "Inspirational" by Miche and the 12WBT team, I practically jumped into my runners and headed out the door. I needed to smash out a big run and today was gonna be the day. It had to be. I was nervous as hell that I wouldn't be able to do it again - but success and a distance of 11km's- my furthest to date.
Today's run was a goodie. Great little path from Carlton, through the Fitzroy Gardens, to the Tan and back. Check out the route below.

And now onto this week's tune.....
Sarah's fiancé is a DJ, so naturally it's important for me to play it cool when she asks me about the type of music I listen to when I'm running.

Sarah: "So if you want Jimbob (that's her Beyonce) to hook you up with some tunes let me know" 

ME: Oh yeah cool what like?

Sarah: "Well you want some dub-acid-electro-lounge...." BLUR Crrrrrsh Crrrrr Durbs officially tuning out

ME: "Sure"

Um what? Like am I that uncool that I have no idea what the music she speaks of is like? As you may have gathered from my Power Song suggestions. I like things that have a really good beat- I know the kewl kids call it Bass. This weeks power song is full of BASS and I may have been busted swinging my knees doing the bop - otherwise known as "gettin my swagger on"(once you hear the song you'll get what I'm saying) at the trafic lights in Collingwood. If only I had my baggy jeans, I would have been all over it!

This weeks song is Soulja Boy - Crank That

Thanks again for all of your support. 

WEEK 3: Hand in Mouth Disease

I hope this sudden urge to eat everything that is put in front of me ends pretty soon. I  left my weigh in until this morning which is probably a bad idea. Since quitting the dirty fags (it's been 4 days now) I have had a sudden urge to put food in my mouth- at every spare moment. CRAP. As a 12WBT'er, this is not ideal. BUT, I know food is not the greater enemy and I need to tell myself that I can do this without putting on any kg's. SO, off I go to hit those scales. I have no doubt there will be an increase.... booooo If there is, this blog entry will become filled with affirmations and all those other soul cleansing, hippy like, mantra humming things you can do to get yourself back on track!

Yep as I suspected. UP I GO! Mothertrucker! Urgh. I am just so angry at myself for allowing my head to think that this would be okay. It's not okay. I have worked too hard to lose this weight to just allow it to creep back up again like that.
It's time to be clean!!!!! It's time to set some new goals and it's time to lose this weight again. I have to do this by next week. 1.5kgs. I'm aiming for it. Eating absolutely clean and increasing exercise to burn 600 kcals X 5 days and 1000kcals X 1 day. That's 6 days till next weigh in. I can do this!
How am I going to do this?

Well I have just re-drawn my little calendar. Stuck it up on the cupboard and drilled it into my brain!!!! My rest day is Saturday, due to work commitments but I think I'll manage to go and smash out my SSS. I'll admit I never did them last round but I am loving them so far. They are such a great challenge and great to compare from previous weeks how far we have come in such a short time

Another thing is I need to really control what is going into my mouth!!!. I'm actually feeling OK about the non-smoking thing. So I think I am ready to control this whole hand to mouth disease I've got happening. MANTRA: it's 80% food and 20% exercise - don't let this disease control your win!

AFFIRMATION: To my body - I will not harm you anymore, I will not treat you like a garbage truck. I have your back!

So off the track a little but back onto the whole 'hippy' thang. I went back to Yoga on Monday in attempt to cleanse and detox that dirty rotten nicotine outta my body (and also to stretch my tender muscles). Bloody LOVE yoga. Well not whilst I'm doing it. But definitely afterwards. I go to Bikram Yoga in Fitzroy. Which is hot yoga. AND YOU SWEAT!!! like a mother! But it's sooo good because you really fell the grosseness coming out of your pores and your skin just glows afterwards! I first went to Bikram at the beginning of the year. They do a deal 'as many classes in 10 days for $19'. So I did 5 in a row. Soooo good. And I became what you call a Yogi. Talkin the yoga talk. Drinking my coconut water. ALL OVER IT! Anyway for those that know what I'm talking about, or those that have friends that are Yogi's then you'll get a bit of a laugh out of this....

AND finally POWER SONG!!!!

So who's into Nicki Minaj??? Heaps of running playlists I've found on Spotify love her too. She's such a cool chick and good to work out to. Here's one of many called Super Bass

PART 2: Once was a dirty fagger

I've had to come back overnight to write the update this one. WOW what a day. SOoo I got to the hypnotherapist and smoked like 5 ciggies on the way. Grosse, but feeling a little sad (weirdly) that they would be my last cigarettes. The Hypnosis experience itself was very calming. Before the session the doctor went into great detail about the health effects of smoking and exactly what it does to your body. He asked that I do several things to help the process be more successful which includes abstaining from chocolate and caffeine for three weeks. WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA????? He wants me to quit chocolate too? No-one said that this was part of the deal..... Once I agreed, reluctantly, he sat me in the typical 'hypnosis chair' and began talking some serious mumbojumbo. Five minutes later - done! wollah! cured! or was I???? Did anything happen just then? Was I hypnotised? Did it work? 

I'm not sure. I haven't had a cigarette yet and I'm trying not to be skeptical. I left the doctor's feeling pretty good but I was hoping I'd be disgusted by the smell of stale cigarette smoke lingering in my car. Nope. Crap. I don't think it worked. 

I feel that I'm requiring a lot more strength and willpower than I thought I would. I know that I need to allow my body to detox but I kind of wish it would be easier. I had to remove myself from public interaction last night as I could feel myself on edge, snappy and short with both my housemate and my boyfriend. I had a really bad nights sleep with restless legs which I believe is a result of craving tobacco. It will go it will go. I have to keep telling myself this. 

Anyway, I know this update is all over the place, a bit scattered and perhaps ill-logic but that is exactly how my head is feeling at the moment. I am sure it will clear - without me requiring a cigarette. 

Hello. I'm Durbs, and I'm a dirty rotten fagger.

Yep, right now this is the hardest thing I've had to admit on this blog, to my team mates and to Miche. You've seen photos of my fat booty, and the confessions of a chocolate binge. But, right now there's nothing that I feel more embarrassed or guilty about than admitting to my fellow 12WBT'rs and Miche that I am a dirty rotten fagger. 

Can I hear the gasping? the shock, the look of filth on you face? Have you turned your nose up at me? Well I don't know if you have, but it seems that now that is exactly what I'm doing to myself. I'm disgusted. And I want nothing more right now than to be a non-smoker. 

I have tried, unsuccessfully, to quit before but I guess I really never had such an incentive. Sure, I know the health risks. I'm not stupid. But I was about 15 years ago when I thought it was cool and I was young and impressionable. Now, things are different. During my first round of 12WBT it was all about loosing weight. For that reason, the increase in physical activity was not yet enough to make me consider giving up. I did not feel that it was holding me back enough and I also feared that if I did try, my dirty habit would be replaced by increased eating and snacking. It would be just too much to think about at once. 

In this round of 12WBT however, my focus is on fitness. How on earth can a dirty smoker truly become fit? For the first time in my life I feel the effects of smoking. I feel it is holding me back. When running, I can't quite get that full breath of air when I need it. I gasp, followed by three sharp gasps to really get the air that I need. It's awful and I hate it. I really noticed it last Thursday night when the girls and I went off to do some hill sprints up Anderson street of the Tan. The idea is to sprint up the hill for 2 mins and then have a 3 min recovery. I zipped up that hill, no problem with speed and power, no pain in the legs BUT I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I could only go 1.5mins and then I had to stop because I really couldn't breath. It's disgusting! and right now, as I recall all this, it's also really upsetting.

So what am I going to do about it? I've tried patches, lozenges, cold turkey, I even tried reading that freaking book. FAIL. But at 10:30am today I am off to get hypnotised. Am I taking the easy way out? I don't give a crap. Will it even work? I don't know. But I know deep down I don't want to be a smoker. 

I'm getting help and I'm scared sh*tless. I have been referred to this Doctor by people who have had success. I have no idea what to expect and my head feels like it's going to explode as I question how I am going to feel once it is over. I hope to god I don't feel like another cigarette and I hope I don't turn into a crazy moody biatch as I have on previous occasions when I have tried to quit.

I'm scared to make this post active before the session occurs. But my promise to you all at the beginning is that I'd be completely honest and open with you throughout this journey. This is part of my 12WBT journey. A very important part. It's about changing your life and becoming the best possible version of yourself. Taking this step means that I can be that person - fully. I also want to inspire others that may be in the same position as me - Held back by a dirty rotten habit that fails to offer any benefit to our lives, that we achieve nothing from, yet we continue to succumb to.

So I post. But will be back with an update later. Please don't think differently of me. I am trying, I'm embarrassed (I feel like I'm telling my mum for the first time). 

WEEK 2: Time to inspire and perspire

Well weigh in this week failed to give me any great thrill, but I'm OK. 100g down means I'm still headed in the right direction. I had a great week of exercise but the boozed up birthday celebrations probably held me back a bit. Damn!

I had fun doing the weekly surprise task. I created my pin board on an app called Wishboard. Here tis here.... (see below) and you know you're lucky if you see this cos I am totes embarrassed of my fatty boomba photo from the beginning of round 1. But in saying that, it inspires me to keep going. When I reflect on how far I have come and how my life has changed, that is what really inspires me to keep going - and of course my besties. And then of course Miche! who has inspired me to keep my enemies closer. So in saying that, I'm about to go smash some hill sprints at the Tan. Yep that Anderson street hill is a killer but I'm gonna do it until it no longer scares the begibers out of me.

Also, this weeks power song is Whistle - by Flo Rida. The junior burgers at work tell me it's not so cool, but I like it. Hope you do too!

WEEK 2: DOM who?

Straight to the point tonight. If you haven't already met him/them then I'm willing to introduce you - although I understand if you are feeling a little reluctant. You may have heard the name mentioned before, I know I have. DOMS this, how's everyone coping with DOMS that... Who or what the heck are DOMS????? 

Welllll, I'm laying in bed with DOMS right now. But unfortunately for me,  ol' mate Wiki will tell us that DOMS is the acronym for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. 

You see yesterday I was lucky enough to have an old friend of mine, who works at my gym, give me a complimentary personal training session. I was sooo excited. A little nervous after my big 10km run on Sunday, but nevertheless looking forward to it. I'm feeling pretty fit at the moment so I thought I would be fine. The exercises Loz (that's her name) took me through were great. I told her what my goals were - to be able to do pull ups, have nice arms and loose my thunder thighs. Well she worked those bits that's for sure. WOW what a workout. Although throughout the session I felt great, she did tell me to expect some soreness for the following couple of days. I remember distinctly thinking "I'll be right. I'll stretch and drink plenty of water".  Ah-hem. I AM SO FREAKING SORE!!!!  I tried running tonight - before the soreness really kicked in - probably not a good idea, but I was determined to do some 'last chance training' before tomorrows weigh in. I struggled after about 10mins - and it was purely leg pain. I dropped back by running 3 mins and walking 2 until I managed to burn 450cal. Now I am exhausto and in bed. I'm probably going to have to read up a bit more on this DOMS stuff but not tonight. No energy.

I'm determined to keep exercising so I plan on braving this cold weather Melbourne has been having and hit Fitzroy pool in the morning. I have heard swimming is good for sore muscles, so here's hoping!

On a lighter note, I got my first copy of my subscription to Runners Mag today. Probably perfect timing too. I find it really inspiring to read and it's full of heaps of interesting facts and stories. When my eyes can stay open I'll sit down and read those details!

Anywho, I'll check in again after weigh in tomorrow. LUCK!

Week 1: BLAST OFF!

OHEMGEE.... I am so totes devastated to find that this original post went to the Internet Gods! Something about me not saving etc etc. Urgh! Anywho it went a little something like this....

Wowwee! So it has begun. I am so damn excited! It's Wednesday today, so you know what that means.. yep.. its W.I.W - came around pretty quick hey. And the results are already in. I woke up this morning startled by an early text message from Susie..

Holy Shi*t! I had to weigh in about 8 times just to be sure... I even tried the manual scales Whoo!

So thrilled for her. And then I jumped on Facebook... Numerous notifications from all my fellow WBT'rs with awesome results and just in a few days. What a motivator.

And then it was my turn. I had been eating clean since Monday, my latte intake was down and I had resisted all chocolate bars. Exercising according to plan. Still, there's always going to be that anxiety and those questions. Had I done enough? Will the scales be kind? Can't breath... go to the toilet.... take pj's off... brrr it's cold. On I hop. Don't look down, don't look down, don't look down.... look down.

Weeeeeeee!!!! 700g down holy shizballs! What a great day and it's only just begun.

It then went on to tell you about the 'must haves' the 'really goods' and 'I cant survive without these' ....

Kitchen Scales: Wow no wonder my butt has grown... I had no idea about portion sizing. Clearly a downfall of mine. But with a pair of these babies there's no excuse.

Protein Shake: I am a #wannabemusclechick. Not massive but, I'd like my arms to be just like Miche's. HA. My friend suggested I get a protein powder to help aide muscle repair. I like this Musachi one. It's low carb and only 119cal per serve (200ml). When buying protein shake powder I suggest you read how many scoops are required to make the shake. Some powders may seem more affordable than others, until of course they tell you it takes 5 scoops to make the shake. This Musachi one only uses 2&1/2.

iPhone Apps: MUST HAVE MUST HAVE MUST HAVE, My Fitness Pal. Wow where would I be without it. Great for tracking your daily calorie intake. It is also good for use at the supermarket. When I am trying to find new snacks I grab it out, use the awesome bar code scanner to quickly compare calories of the various goods. It's great great great and I strongly suggest having it and playing around with it to get the most out of it's functions.

Another App that I just love it Nike+GPS. I use it whilst running. It tells me my distance, pace, best averages, when I'm completing new goals AND, if I load it to Facebook my friends can cheer me along the way just by 'likeing' or commenting on the post.

Calender/Planner: I bought this cute one from KikkiK. It was about $12 and is where I plan my exercise routine. I stick it up on my wardrobe door and highlight when I achieve what I set out to. I also use it to fore plan those red flag days..... urgh!

Power Song: I've seen in many forums 12WBT'rs looking for new songs to work out to. MEE TOO!! Always looking for a new song to get me through the workout. I like a power song that makse me feel strong kind of like "I am woman hear me roar"...but not exactly-perhaps something a little more mod and funky... you get what I mean. Here's my latest fave. It's Santigold feat. Karen O - Go! (I'll do mu best to post a new power song each week)

Okays... well here's hoping this post doesn't magically disappear and never come back... Best of luck for week 2 everyone!