Tips From a Frustrated Caterpillar

We all know how hard it is to exercise and eat well. It is easy-ish for about 3 days and then the reality sets in that this is all going to take a lot longer than you anticipated. I realised this rather acutely when I read that there are 3500 calories in ONE POUND. That means if you continue to eat as you normally do and work out 7 days a week for an hour, you will only lose a pound a week. Horrifying, right? So you have to eat right every single day too and then things will start to happen. I'm learning little things as I go along and I'm willing to share every little thing I learn so that we can all try to make the transition from chubby little caterpillars to beautiful butterflies together (too much?). I'm tired of being the little caterpillar that almost did. I want the full bloody cataclysmic transformation.

So here are the things I've been doing and that I recommend:

1) Put your gym clothes out every night - from socks to undies to sports bra - all of it. Have it ready. That way you can wake up bleary eyed and just wriggle your blubbery arse into the gear and walk out the door. No excuses.

2) Go to the gym. Toned fat looks better than wobbly fat. It works better than a spray tan.

3) Keep a food diary. I've been using www.myfitnesspal.com on my iPhone and online every day for 7 weeks. I can tell you every morsel of food I've eaten since February. Don't LIE on your food diary. WTF for? Who are you trying to fool? Oh so you've eaten 950 calories a day for 5 weeks and gained 2 kgs? Righhhht. Stop being an idiot.

4) Remember that fruit and vegetables have carbs. If you're on a low carb diet remember that an apple has about 23 grams of carbs in it. Fruit juice is horrifyingly high in carbs. Do some research. Your food diary online will tell you specific details and will really help.

5) Stop wearing stretchy clothes in a size 10 that lull you into thinking you're a size 10. Go and try on a pair of size 10 jeans. Step on the scale. Sometimes a rude awakening is necessary. Ok so size doesn't matter, numbers don't matter etc. But you say that... ummm... do you believe that?

6) Saying No is hard the first few times and then it's empowering. You can go to a kids party and say no to cake. You can go out at night and stay off the carbs and alcohol. Say no. Make the buttons close!

7) Do not reward yourself with food. You are NOT A PUPPY.

That's about all I know for sure right now. I know this now. I need to keep knowing it. I'm tired of starting over.

Vision 9 Week Challenge - Week 2

If it were easy, it wouldn't be a challenge. Right? It's not called the "9 Week Holiday". I'm in week 2 and I must confess to being a bit grumpy. I am, however, feeling rather virtuous about my exercise and food discipline. I've trained 10 days out of the last 14 and I feel like there should be some kind of medal? An audience with the Queen? Or perhaps a cheque for a million dollars? That's not going to happen - but I did get something this morning which felt like a reward. I bought a dress 8 months ago that 'almost' fit (not at all) and today it does!!! All the buttons closed with ease and I felt awesome! I think this is in part due to this ridiculous circuit training class hosted by the sadistic Bladen last weekend. I've been hobbling around like a 90 year old since Saturday morning and I choose to believe that one of the buttons is as a direct result of those punishing lunges and squats!
I'm down nearly 5 kgs now since joining Vision and I have to say this is working. How is your challenge going? Are you aching from head to toe? If not, try harder. You're doing it wrong.

The Vision 9 Week Challenge

I have gained and lost and gained the same 10kgs many times over. In my late teens it was easy. In my early to mid twenties it was easy. Now I'm 35, I have a 3 1/2 year old, I work, I run a house and have an active social life and IT IS NOT EASY. I struggled on my own for a few months... and failed. It was time to call in the artillery and pull out all the stops. I started with Chris Vision Personal Training Crows Nest a month ago and I have dropped 4 kgs so far. I can't quite tell that I've lost weight yet - my jeans still don't close, my SPANX are still working over time and my wardrobe is still largely made up of stretchy. forgiving (deceitful) fabrics ... but I am on my way.

As a self-confessed exhibitionist, I am putting all of this out there - my facebook friends and my twitter followers are acutely aware of every gram I lose, every meal I eat and every time I hit the gym. I feel like I am at the forefront of a revolution - a VISIONARY - if you will. Of course, I'm not really. What I'm doing is perfectly normal. The vast majority of people exercise and eat well on an ongoing basis. For me, however, this is a challenge. Not only a 9 week challenge but a challenge to stop quitting, stop having to start over again from scratch and employ these basic principles to my daily life on an ongoing basis. I'm learning lessons, I'm making changes and I feel GOOD. What's your vision for this week? Mine is to exercise 5 times, fuel my body well and drop another kilo. Join me?