I joined Weight Watchers

Since the 12WBT was coming to an end and I made the decision not to continue on into Round 3, I bit the bullet and on Sunday night I joined Weight Watchers online.  

Today is my Day 4 and I am happy to say that I am doing really well (no chocolate or junk) and in 4 days I have lost 1.2kg with no exercise (well I went for a 10 minute stroll around the block on Monday afternoon).

I would ideally love to attend the weight watchers meetings but unfortunately the day/time for this area didn't fit my schedule and so I am going to go it alone with the online service instead. My impression of it so far is that its not exactly user friendly for those that aren't computer savy but with practise and patience I think it would become quite easy to navigate and you can use it on the iphone too which is a bonus.

It cost $90.00 for 3 months access and gives you a place to record your weight/measurements, daily food (a 7 day menu plan is provided) and exercise (no plans provided you need to source these yourself) and blog. It also has its own community with forums and challenges and HEAPS of other weight loss related information links. I think that it could get a bit overwhelming if you tried to look into everything all at once.

The pro points plan is taking me a little while to get used to as I normally count calories and so its just a new way of looking at things but I do believe that it could be quite successful as I have already started comparing the pro point value of my choices and making sure that I fill up on my zero point choices rather than those that I would consider to be 'empty' calories.

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End 12WBT

My results for the 12WBT challenge are:

Weight loss of 700grams

Body Fat percentage loss of 3.3%

Muscular percentage gain of .7%

Total cm loss of 12cm

Whilst I didn't achieve exactly what I was hoping to and do harbour some feelings of disappointment (I feel like I did a half arsed job) I have to acknowledge the fact that considering the rockyness of the past 12 weeks, the results are in fact positive ones.  

So, with that said and done it is time to forgive and move forward with a positive attitude.

What I thought about the Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation Challenge

It was definitely great value for money ($200.00) as it provided 12 weeks worth of meal plans, exercise plans and supportive advise in the form of pre-season tasks, videos and forum posts.

I felt that the meal plans were a little complicated and didn't cater for quick, easy on the run types but they did provide lots of variety and some of them were really nice.  

The shopping list catered for 2 and worked out to approx $150.00 per week but unfortunately some of the items got wasted as you couldn't buy them in small quantities eg. cooking cream.  This could be avoided with some menu modifying but that takes the ease out of it.

I personally felt very overwhelmed with it all as it seemed that I would only just start the week and then the next weeks shopping list and plans would be released.  It was the same for the challenges and videos too - you really need TIME to be able to sit and dedicate to doing and watching them.

There are forums and groups galore and so if its additional support you are after then there is no shortage of it, IF you have the time for them.  I felt that I couldn't keep up with the posts and was just a number.

In saying all of the above I would do it again but would need to make sure that I was in peak condition mentally and physically to be able to commit to it without feeling overwhelmed.

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Out of action again!

So,  my pain in the neck got to be a right royal 'pain in the neck' and last Sunday evening I ended up in the hospital emergency room in tears begging for them to help me.  A few hours and 3 injections later they managed to take the edge off my pain enough to send me home with a referral for an urgent CT scan.  The results came back showing it to be Thoracic facet joint syndrome along with Thoracic degenerative disc disease (spondylosisso).  I have had lumber degeneration for quite a while but unfortunately it has progressed faster than they thought it would.

So, its a matter of staying on top of the pain enough to continue with intensive Phyio/Osteo/Massage (very light soft  tissue massage only) and then to work out ways to modify my current lifestyle and exercise - no quick fix unfortunately.  Worst case senario (if the pain doesn't ease) being surgery BUT, this is an option that I do not want to consider.

Disk Degeneration - Flattening of the disk

I am still in pain (neck and back is out of alignment creating a constant headache and sharp shooting pains up and down my spine if I move the wrong way) but it is being controlled thanks to a combination of rest, pain killers, anti inflammatories and steroids (a concoction that makes me feel very ill and either knocks me out or keeps me awake). 

On the nutrition front I am ashamed to say that my eating has been shocking and so it is no surprise that the scales have gone up.  Why do I do it to myself when I know that when I'm unable to exercise that it is even more important for my eating to be 'clean' *sigh*.  Oh well, tomorrow is another day and I plan to turn it around and make the changes I need to get these excess kilos off as I am feeling fat, ugly and horrible.  This is the last week of the MB12WBT and I am so annoyed at myself for it being yet another challenge I stuffed up on and didn't complete successfully....yes, yes I know - I am being too hard on myself given the challenges of my knee and now this!

Even though I believe that everything happens for a reason I have been wondering what else is the universe going to throw at me? Like FFS c'mon when is enough enough!

It's ok despite me being shitty and annoyed and over it all right now I have not lost my determination and drive to succeed.....I just needed to have a dummy spit first.

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Awesome ABS August

August is Awesome Abs Month with the challenge being put out to complete a total of 5000 Ab Exercises from August 1st to 31st.  This works out to be 162 Ab exercises per day.

DAY 1 - Before Photo

Day 1 = 200 (Combination of Crunches, Sit Ups and Russians)

Total Done: 200 / Total Remaining: 4800

Day 2 = 50 (12kg Kettlebell Side Leans)

Total Done: 250 / Total Remaining 4750

Day 3 = 350 (combination of v-tucks, spoons, crunches, alternating leg ups, side taps, crunches and leg lowers)

Total Done: 600 / Total Remaining 4400

*HAD TO STOP & REST DUE TO BACK INJURY*

I was hoping that after a week of rest I would of been able to get straight back into training again but unfortunately my 1 week is now going to be 2 and from there who knows...

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A flying visit

I just wanted to stop by and give you all a very quick update...

Since my Macca's binge things have been relatively (70/30) good...well, up until this week anyway.

Last Tuesday on the way home from work I SNEEZED and as a result of trying to hold it back I pinched a nerve in my back and it affected the movement in my neck.  Me being me however kept on going with my usual craziness and then come Saturday night could hardly turn my neck at all and so now here I am RESTING AGAIN!!

Who would of thought a Sneeze could be such...

  A pain in the neck...

Emotional eating has once again been my nemesis and for the first time in a very long time STRESS is getting the better of me.

Anyway I really do not have time to be blogging as I have a end of August Deadline to finish off my Cert 3/4 Fitness Coursework (I am happy to report that I finished my Nutrition course this morning) as well as a heap of other things that need doing eg.  Relay For Life Entertainment/Activities stuff, Business Accounts, Tax Returns, a huge pile of washing to be folded.....AAARRRRHHH. 

*SIGH*  These are just the tip of the iceberg of my feelings at the moment BUT alas this too shall pass AND it could be worse!

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