Ready for Summer Challenge Summary

I loved this challenge! The best part for sure was 'meeting' so many new bloggers and having the opportunity to share their journey with them. It's been amazing. Like I wrote in an earlier post, I never thought having a blog about health and fitness would be so rewarding!

So, it's the end of the challenge - how did I do?

I have to say that I didn't hit all my goals. That is definitely very frustrating because it makes me think, if I had 10 weeks to sit down and focus on reaching my goals and I couldn't do it - will I ever be able to?

I think a bit of self-criticism is good. I'm very glad that the voices of self-hate are slowly being silenced and I'm not longer saying to myself 'You're such a failure/loser. You tried to lose x amount of weight in this period of time and you couldn't do it!' No. No more of that. However, I do realize that I have a long way to go and a lot of work to do.

Anyway. I ended the challenge 12 lbs lighter than when I started - that's 3 lbs shy of my goal. I think I've done an excellent job with my exercise. My main focus now has to be nutrition. I need to be more watchful of what and how much I eat. That's going to be my main focus for the next challenge. I'm updating this on my phone so I'm going to save proper Summer Sizzle post later. I'm absolutely exhausted.

Got back from Abu Dhabi this evening and I'm back at the airport less than 6 hours later for my flight to Mexico! I apologize for the sporadic posts over the next few days while I'm traveling. Oh just one more thing, I did workout while in Abu Dhabi - weights & C25K week 2 day 1 :)

Getting off the Merry-Go-Round

When I was a kid, one of my favorite things in the playground was the merry-go-round. Not the type with the horses. No, the ones that were just the flat surface with bars to hang on to. I remember the rush of being on it while it was being spun - faster, faster, faster -- and then of course it would come to a stop and we'd jump off ... only to be hit by dizziness that threw us off balance but exhilarated us at the same time.

I think that's the best way to describe how I've been feeling for the past 2 weeks. I feel like I've been on a whirlwind journey for almost 5 years - working, writing, researching, analyzing - and now it's over. I hardly remember life before my PhD. Even though I did have fun, socialize, and hit the gym regularly over those years, it was on a different timeline. I remember there were many, many times when I'd be out with my friends and I'd have my alarm set, reminding me that I had to get home and back to work. It was a completely change in lifestyle ... and now I've gotten off the merry-go-round and I'm struggling with that dizziness - feeling exhilarated because of what I've accomplished yet dizzy and lost because I forgot what it's like to have a non-PhD life! I feel relieved that I'm not alone in this (I found a few links like this online), but I am eager for me to find the next phase of 'normal' in my life.

I think the consequences of this 'dizziness' is evident in the way I've been eating and exercising over the past 2 weeks. I'm making an effort, but it really does feel like it's been more of a superficial one. I thought I had lost my drive for exercise, but I know it's not the case. I think I was just exhausted and in need of a change. Catching up on sleep and actually taking some time to just rest has been good for me. I am eager, though, to get back into the swing of things. However, I don't think it's likely to happen until after I return from Mexico -- which is one more thing standing in the way of things getting back to normal. Don't get me wrong, I am totally excited about the trip. I'm just also eager to see how life will be once I'm back.

So, this is the final week of the Ready for Summer Challenge. My goals for the final week are pretty much the same as last week. Here's my review of week 9:

1. Weight loss goal: To lose a total of 15 lbs by June 3
Weight loss to date is 9.5 lbs. I have no weigh in to post today. I doubt that I'll have reached my 15 lbs mark by the 3rd, but we'll see. I'll weigh in next week.


2. Non-scale goal: Get through my list of 'things to do'; work on my Mexico paper and my Italian
I accomplished quite a few errands, but I'm sure I could have done more. One thing I definitely did was catch up on some sleep and that's a huge NSV for me! I've started working on my conference paper and spent about 2 hours studying my Italian. I need to put in more time as I've forgotten a lot more than I realized.

Since I'll be traveling on Saturday I've made a very concise list of errands that need to be tackled before I travel. I hope to make it through the list by the end of Friday.

3. Exercise: Complete workouts 3 & 4 for NROL4W, swim once, 4 hrs. of cardio, start CrossFit
I completed the two weights workouts. I didn't swim. I did, however, start the C25K program. I only finished Week 1 Day 1, but at least I got started. I've started a separate page to keep track of my progress. My cardio was pathetic this week. I think I only managed an hour of focused cardio.

I'm happy to say that I started CrossFit. It's intense, and I love it! I did two sessions this week.

Exercise goals for Week 10:
Finish NROL4W (workouts 5 & 6)
Complete 2 CrossFit sessions
Finish Week 1 of C25K (days 2 & 3)

I've kept it simple because I think that's all I can realistically manage. I did workout 5 of NROL4W today, so I've just got one more workout left :)


4. Nutrition: Eat as clean as possible
My eating could definitely have been cleaner! This week - refocus. Be sensible!


Basically for this week - I've got to get a handle on that dizziness and find my footing. There are several things that I need to get done -- and I think the poster below says it perfectly.

Have a great week everyone! 

Off Sync & Week 8 Summer Challenge Update

Sundays just don't seem to agree with me. I really had trouble getting motivated to do anything all day. Ironically, I had everything planned out for the day. I had my gym clothes laid out, my work clothes ready, my fruit for the day was washed and ready in a ziplock bag, I woke up on time etc. etc. Still, I felt kinda lethargic, tired, and worst of all, bloated. In fact, I actually feel like I'm PMS'ing though I shouldn't be for another week. With the travel and stress of the past week and a half I guess I wouldn't be surprised if my cycle shifted - again. Who knows.

I restarted my morning gym routine. I did the 3rd workout in Stage 7 of NROL4W. I've only got 3 workouts left of the program, and I'm pretty sure I'll be able to finish it before I travel again. I did well, but I felt the lethargy kinda slowing me down. I hope I do better tomorrow.


It's the end of the 8th week of the Ready for Summer Challenge.

I was late posting my update for week 7 so I don't really have too much to add for this week.

It's been taking me some time to get back into the swing of things so I'll keep this entry brief.

1. Weight loss goal: To lose a total of 15 lbs by June 3rd
My total weight loss since start of this challenge is 9.6 lbs. I've just lost a little bit since I returned from London. Seeing as I've been eating a lot and not exercising, I'm just glad that the number hasn't gone up!

Week 9 plan:
Keep working towards reaching that 15 lb loss!

2. Non-scale goal: Finish grading; Organize bookshelf; Catch up on blogs
I finished grading my last set of papers for the semester!!! What a relief! :) 
I also managed to catch up on commenting on blogs. 
I've started organizing my bookshelf, but it's not complete yet. I'm getting there. 

Week 9 plan:
Start the paper for the conference in Mexico
Start brushing up on my Italian for this summer's trip to Italy
Make a big dent in my list of things to do (try to accomplish at least 2 things a day)

3. Exercise: Week 8 goal: 4 hrs at the gym; finalize workout schedule
I managed my 4 hours at the gym - 1 hr. swimming and 3 hrs. Combat/Pump/Zumba
My workout schedule for the next two weeks is set! 

Week 9 plan:
Complete workouts 3 & 4 for NROL4W
Swim once
Get in 4 hours of cardio
Start CrossFit

4. Nutrition goal: Make healthy choices/keep water rat a good level
I struggled with my water in London and it took me some time to readjust after returning (my bladder wasn't too happy at first!). Now I'm back to 3.5-4 L of water a day. 
My food hasn't been good this week, but that all changes from right now. I don't know why I've been crazy hungry lately. Still, yesterday I sat down and made my menu for the week plus stocked up on some fresh fruit and veggies. Hopefully the week will go well. 

Week 9 plan:
Try to eat as clean as possible. 

Rehydrating and Regrouping

I landed this morning at 6:30 and was at my desk at the university by 9. It was painful to say the least as I was already exhausted from the long last day in London and of course the flight. In any case, I survived. Plus it was wonderful walking into my office at home and seeing balloons and flowers from D, and my BFF who works with me also surprised me with a gorgeous bouquet of tulips. I'm so blessed.

I didn't post for the past few days coz' things were crazy busy in London. It was awesome catching up with old friends and shopping of course! I walked for hours and hours each day and felt good in terms of my stamina and comfort with walking around - didn't even give it a second thought. It just reminds me of how all the exercise and strength training has so many benefits, particularly when it comes to lugging around heavy shopping bags for hours not to mention carrying a 20 kg suitcase up and down flights of stairs at the train station with ease ... yes, with ease :)

I was quite good with my general exercise and food habits over the past week, but I really struggled with my water intake. I was drinking about 4 L of water a day here, but in London, I was lucky to get 2 L ... sometimes less. I was just on the go all the time; I'm paranoid about having to use a public restaurant, and it was so cold!! Anyway. I'm trying to make up for it now, but I know my body suffered.

Today is all about rehydrating and regrouping. I've unpacked but I still need to put a few things away and of course do laundry. I also need to come up with a new exercise routine for the next 17 days, after which I'll be traveling again for just under 2 weeks.

It's the perfect time to also do my Ready for Summer challenge update - I'm a bit late this week, and of course I'm behind on commenting on all your blogs. I do apologize. I'll catch up soon, I promise!

Week 7 Progress and Week 8 Plans

1. Weight loss goal: To lose 10 lbs by May 8 (loss since the challenge began = 7.84 lbs)
I forgot to mention that when I weighed myself on May 8th, I had lost another pound. So, I didn't quite hit the 10 lb mark, but I did make it to 8.84. It's not too horrible. I weighed in this morning (had to check even though I know I was all bloated from traveling and had just eaten breakfast) and the scale showed that I had lost another 1/2 lb. I'm always hoping to at least maintain when I travel, so I was really happy to see that I actually managed to lose some weight, even though it was very little. It makes me feel good that I did not deprive myself of anything in terms of food, but I made sensible choices and watched my portions (though I didn't watch these very carefully). I had some chocolate each day that I was on vacation, but imagine something like a 2-finger Kit Kat bar, not a whole tub of ice cream or anything like that. It definitely made me feel a bit more confident in terms of being able to control my eating habits and that I can modify what/how much I eat without being too paranoid about calories etc. It was definitely comforting.

Week 8 plan:
Although I am weighing in weekly, I'm not setting a weekly weigh in goal. Now, my next goal is to lose a total of 15 lbs by June 3rd. I don't know how reasonable it is about 6 pounds in less than 3 weeks. I will try though. We'll see what happens! 


2. Non-scale goal: Pass my PhD defense
I did it!!! It gave me great pleasure to introduce myself as Dr. PlumPetals on Saturday :) It was a HUGE non-scale goal for me ... in fact I think it's one of the most significant things I've ever done in my life. 


I'd also like to add this week's 'Post to Myself' as an NSV. I have had such trouble being positive. It takes a lot of energy to find the good in what I've done ... in any area of  my life. That sounds like such a depressing thing to say, but it's true. I wrote this post back in August 2011. It was so difficult to even 'fake' writing something positive and cheerful. It's not that I don't notice the good around me, I do. I guess I have just found it difficult to find the good in me. Anyway. As I wrote in my post on Saturday, I would not have even been able to write this post a few weeks ago. Feeling that confidence and determination was good for me. I just need to hold on to it and keep it as a reminder that struggles do not equal failures. 

Week 8 plan:
Finish grading the last set of essays for the semester (thank goodness!)
Organize my bookshelf in my home office
Catch up on blog post comments

3. Exercise: Walk as much as possible; workout at least twice in Canterbury/London
I worked out at the gym 3 times during my stay in Canterbury and did a ton of walking for the 3 days that I was in London. 

Week 8 plan:
Finalize my workout schedule for the next 17 days.
Try to get in at least 4 hours at the gym before next Sunday's weekly check in

4. Nutrition goal: Make healthy choices/keep water at a good level
I tried to make healthy choices while I was away and at the same time, I did eat whatever/whenever I wanted. It was actually quite a pleasant surprise to see that I wasn't craving anything - fries, crisps, soda, etc. Nothing was a craving so I felt quite relieved. The main thing I struggled with, as I mentioned before, was water.

Week 8 plan:
This week will be tricky because there are a number of celebration lunes/dinners so I have to make sure that I continue to control what and how much I eat. 
Get my water intake back on track
Plan the menu for the week and stick to it


So that's it from me right now. Again, I do apologize for not commenting on recent blog posts. I'll catch up on that over the next few days (I hope).

Week 6 Summer Challenge Update

When I got on the scale this morning, I was absolutely dreading it. Although I knew I had been more careful with my eating over the past few days, I was still haunted by the fact that I ate out every singe day for the past two weeks. Surely that's going to show up on the scale. The only thing that I had going for me was that the TOM was practically over so I should have dropped some of the extra water weight that probably added to last week's gain in the first place.

Here's where I stand:

1. Weight loss goal: To lose 10 lbs by May 8 (loss since the challenge began 2.84 lbs)
I could not believe my eyes when I saw that I had lost 5 lbs this week. I knew that some of the extra water weight would drop, but I didn't think it would be that much. I was really happy to see that. With this loss it puts me just over 2 lbs away from my goal. If I'm really, really careful, I should be able to do it. If not, I know I'm close.

2. Non-scale goal: Finish reading through the remainder of my thesis & try to get more sleep.
I finished reading my thesis but that came at the expense of getting sleep. I am insanely critical of my writing. I can't tell you how many times I've just wanted to hit the delete button (actually, there have been a few times just before a big assignment was due that I did in fact hit the delete button!). So the fact that I've read my thesis and I actually like it and don't want to just burn it makes me feel better. I hope that I'm not being foolishly confident. I know that any piece of writing can be improved, but I've made peace with what I've written. Now I just need to defend it well!

I just wanted to add something else to my NSV for this week - I measured myself this morning. If the weight loss wasn't enough, this was definitely the non-fat icing on my cake. 
Although I didn't lose inches everywhere, I didn't gain any ... and more than that, the most significant losses were 1/2 inch on my arms, 1/2 inch around my bust, and 3 inches around my waist! I'm definitely very, very happy with those numbers!

3. Exercise: Start NROL4W Stage 7; Get in at least 6 hours of cardio incl. 10 km; Do 1,500 reps of abs/thighs/butt exercises
I started Stage 7 -- am totally loving it! I love seeing how strong I've gotten, though I have to say, the workouts have been much more challenging than I expected! I got in my 6 hours of cardio (just barely) but didn't manage the 10 km stretch. The most I did at one go was 8 km. As for the abs ... um, I didn't get to more than 500. Doing that many crunches etc. during that time of the month was a bit ambitious!

4. Nutrition goal - streamline foods; increase protein; cut down dairy
I just had to try and be as smart as possible when it came to eating this past week. I watched my portions and tried to make healthy choices ... I did alright with my protein but could have had more. My dairy intake was about the same this week. I don't really know why I put that as a nutritional goal as I don't feel like it affects me negatively. I'll have to to rethink that goal. 
Oh, and ironically, for the week that I didn't mention eating a daily serving of fruit I managed to eat 1-2 servings of fruit every single day! I used it to help counterbalance all the other meals that I was eating out. I've found a fruit salad at a restaurant here that I absolutely love. I had it 3 times as my main meal (twice for lunch and once for dinner)! 


So, overall, it's been a good week given the circumstances. Although I didn't hit my targets in exactly the way I wanted to (i.e. more exercise/more clean eating) it did make me feel better in that I was still able to have some control when 'life' got in the way! I hope I can keep it up.

Goals for Week 7:
This week will be tricky as I'll be traveling for almost the whole time. So I'll keep my goals simple.

1. Weight loss - Try to lose the last 2 lbs. and maintain during the week while I'm away
2. Non-scale goal - Pass my PhD defense! It's on the 11th, so wish me luck!
3. Exercise - Walk as much as possible; do at least 2 hotel workouts (more details on that in a later post)
4. Nutrition goal - Try to make healthy choices; keep your water intake at a good level

My overall challenge for the week will just be to cope with traveling, the stress of finishing off my PhD, and being out of my daily comfort zone. I came across this quote and thought it was quite appropriate.

I just have to say, I'm loving this challenge. You guys are amazing cheerleaders! I feel like I have such an amazing supportive network now. It truly makes a difference to my day. Thank you for all your encouragement and positive thoughts! Good luck with Week 7!

Week 5 Update - Summer Challenge

The hectic-ness of last week carries on into this week. I feel like lately I haven't been able to catch my breath. I am happy that I'm making my workouts a priority, but to be honest, it does get difficult when trying to squeeze everything else into my day as well. I feel like I've been living moment to moment (appointment to appointment) instead of really living. I'm wondering if that time will ever come!

Week 5 Update:

Week 5 was really busy for me. I had the 3-day conference at the beginning of the week, followed by the arrival of my in-laws. Since they've been here, we've been out every night. I ended up eating out every single day, sometimes twice a day, which is a HUGE change to my normal routine because at most I eat out twice a week. Even though I did manage to go to the gym 6/7 days, my workouts were shorter and not as intense. On top of everything, all the evenings out = late nights = not enough sleep = not as much energy as I would have liked for my workouts.

So overall, I survived the week, but it was a struggle.

1. Weight loss goal: To lose 10 lbs by May 8 (loss since the challenge began 4.84 lbs)
I'm disappointed to report an almost 2 lb gain this week. It is clearly a reflection of all the eating out I've been doing this week. Even though I tried to make good choices, I know I consumed more calories than I normally do. I'm trying not to let it frustrate me too much - two things that I'm keeping in mind are that TOM is around the corner and that this week's weigh in showed a 2.8% loss of fat, so despite the weight gain, the fat has been replaced by muscle. I know that's good, but as I've said before - I just want the number on the scale to match the measurements/progress. I would have normally measured myself today, but I'm going to wait and do that next week. Oh well. Nothing to do but keep moving forward.

2. Non-scale goal: Make it through the week!
I did indeed make it through the week. I did manage to get an errand or two done as well, but most of my days were taken up by the either the conference or my in-laws. Now I desperately need to finish preparing for my viva.

3. Exercise goal: I am happy to say that I did meet all my goals in terms of exercise this week.
- Weight training: Finish NROL4W Stage 6 - DONE!
- Cardio: 5 hours (including 1 10 km session) - DONE!
- Abs etc. exercises: 2,000 reps - Ummmm, no. Only managed 1,000 reps this week
- Crossfit: Complete first session - Yes, DONE! :) 

4. Nutrition goal: Be vigilant of what I eat/drink
I tried ... but I need to try harder. I ate a LOT of carbs this week. I was terrific on the water (still hitting 4 L a day). I did manage to eat some fresh fruit 5/7 days ... I'm still trying to go for 7/7!


Goals for Week 6: 
Although I hit all my exercise goals for the week, it's obvious that unless it's accompanied by careful monitoring of what I eat, doesn't matter. This week is filled with dinners/lunches with my in-laws, so I know the food aspect of my week will be a struggle. Hopefully I can get some more time in at the gym ... we'll see.

1. Weight loss -  Try to lose the 10 lbs by May 8th
2. Non-scale goal - Finish reading through the remainder of my thesis (4.5 chapters left -- I gotta do it, my viva is in 12 days!) Try to get more sleep.
3. Exercise - Start NROL4W Stage 7; Get in at least 6 hours of cardio (including 1 10 km stretch); Do 1,500 reps of abs/thighs/butt exercises (of some variation) over the week.
4. Nutrition goal - Streamline my foods to be more wholesome/raw/fresh; increase protein intake; cut down dairy intake.

That's it for this week -- on top of all that there are papers to grade and lessons to plan ...

We've been asked to share a motivational photo/quote this week. I used to have a Motivational Monday post, but I got side-tracked with all my other posts. Maybe I should restart that ... in the meantime, you can check some of the previous posts. This is my motivation for this week :)

Week 4 Update - Summer Challenge

I started the day off feeling very stressed. I've just been looking at this week with such anticipation ... it's never a good thing. I had to remind myself, I am in control. I planned as much as I could in advance for today. I am in control. If there is something that is not in my control, then I don't need to worry about it.

Week 4 Update:

Goals:

1. Weight loss goal: To lose 10 lbs by May 8 (loss since the challenge began 4.84 lbs)
Only down 1/2 kg (1 lb.) this week. I feel like I've fallen into the 'slow and steady' weight loss category, which is fine, but I can't deny that I wish I could see the number move faster! Total loss for the challenge - 5.84 lbs. Just over 4 lbs to go in the next two weeks.

2. Non-scale goal: Make it through my list of things to do; prepare for/pass my PhD Viva
I finally made some more headway into my errands. I still have so many to do :( Having to teach the extra 23 students for the whole week really did throw me off in terms of how much prep I did for class etc. Hopefully things will normalize this week as I'm back to teaching just my class. 


I managed to get through chapter 4 of my thesis, but I didn't complete chapter 5 or start my data task. (Feeling so frustrated writing that!)


A bonus NSV -- my size L Nike DryFit capris are now too big :) I slipped on a medium (that I had bought once by mistake) and it fits really well! Super pleased about that!!

3. Exercise goal: I had another great week when it came to making it to the gym.
- Gym 6x/week - Done!
- Weight training 3x/week (4 is possible) - Done! In fact, I did 5 weights sessions this week because of the trail run of Body Pump 81 with our trainer KD.
- Cardio 6 hrs/week (10 if possible) - Done! I managed 9 hours of cardio, so close to 10!! I've mentioned my 10 km November run before. I won't be focusing on any official training until after I return from London. For now, I'm just going to work on my endurance. This week I did 10 km on the cross-trainer in 1 hr. 18 min. I also hit a personal best of running 7 1/2 min straight. I'm getting closer to a sub-8 min kilometer!
- Abs focus 3x/week - Done! I did abs on my own twice and I did 2 abs blast classes (ouch!)

4. Nutrition goal
- Drink 3.5-4 L water daily - Done! In fact, except for Saturday I drank 4 L of water easily!
- Eat at least 1 serving of fruit daily - Do I really have to answer this? Only managed this 4 times this week :( It should be so easy ... but for some reason, I'd rather eat nothing than eat fruit even though I do actually enjoy the taste. I just can't explain it, but I will get this right!
- Greatly reduce wheat/grain based carbs during dinner - Done! I had bread only one night this week and for the rest of the days I just had lentils, veggies, and salad.
- Track food & water intake on a daily basis - Hmmmm My original intention was to write everything down like I was doing before. Have I done that? No. Have I been watching what I eat and monitoring my water intake? Yes. I think that will have to do for now. 

5. Mini-challenge: Pay it forward - You can read about it here :)


Goals for Week 5:
I seem to be doing well on the exercise and nutrition front, but honestly, just those two things take a lot of time! Grocery shopping, preparing the food, cooking, cleaning up ... Getting my workout clothes together, going to the gym, working out, showering, getting ready ... these take so much time. It's totally worth it. In fact, I'd happily give up a lot of other things just to be able to focus on my exercise and nutrition without any distractions. Unfortunately, that's not reality. I'm having such a lot of trouble getting other tasks done. I'm just tired. By the time I'm home at the end of the day, I am tired.

So, I'm modifying some of my goals for this week because I know it will be hectic with the 3-day conference, my in-laws coming, and the new CrossFit training session. I'm just trying to be reasonable and realistic. We'll see how it goes.

1) Weight loss - Same as before. Just keep losing some weight; no pressure on a number as long as it's a bit lower than the previous week and that I'm on my way to losing the 10 lbs by May 8th.
2) Non-scale goal - I only have one major task that I want to accomplish this week and that is to get Survive! I'm not putting any extra pressure on myself to get anything other than doing things that need to be tackled immediately. I'm even putting reading my thesis on the side until I get to the weekend. Sometimes (usually, actually!) I get more things done when I'm under a lot of pressure than when I have some time to play around with.
3) Exercise - Finish NROL4W Stage 6; Get in at least 5 hours of cardio (including 1 10 km stretch); Do 2,000 reps of abs/thighs/butt exercises (of some variation) over the week; Survive my first CrossFit session!
4) Nutrition goal - I clearly have not allocated the time to write everything down. However, I do feel like I have been sensible ... so I'm going to stick to my current goals but modify the last one from 'track' to just be vigilant of everything that I eat and drink and continue to make sensible choices so that I can achieve my goals.

Gosh, looking at all that makes me feel a bit nervous. I'm just hoping that my previous experiences of being more productive when under pressure will come through for me this week!

Paying it Forward

I finally caught up to commenting on all the bloggers who linked up to the Summer Challenge. I felt kind of strange talking about Week 4 when we're pretty much done with it, but still, I wanted to show my support. I tried to comment on other blog posts as well, not just the Summer Challenge update, but couldn't do that for everyone. I hope that I can get around to the posts sooner next week.

This week's mini-challenge was about paying it forward. 

I'm not sure how I do this actively at the moment, but I have started looking into getting a certification in nutrition and fitness and maybe one day work up to be a trainer of some sort. It's been a dream of mine for quite a while though I've never vocalized it before. I guess I'm just afraid of putting it out there in case I don't succeed. However, I really, really want to be able to pay forward the things that I have learned by being more involved in health and fitness. So I guess this is the way I can pay it forward in the future. 

As for right now, I think the best I can do is continue to comment on blogs and communicate with others who are struggling to lose weight. For me, having a supportive community - whether real or virtual - has been incredibly important. I know that I don't want to let myself down, but I also know that I don't want to disappoint anybody else who may be rooting for me or at the very least watching my progress. 

Aside from the blogs, I also try to be friendly and approachable at the gym. I think this is important because I know how intimidating the gym can be. You walk in and see already super-fit people running on the treadmill and lifting lots of weight; you see them doing the classes with lots of gusto and energy; you see the trainers having a good relationship with these people and wonder - where do I belong? How will I ever get there? 

I think by being an overweight person who enthusiastically hits the gym and is not afraid to sweat, to try, to stumble and pick myself up can hopefully take the fear and intimidation out for some people. When I'm in the classes, I try to put my all into it, and people have commented/noticed. I've had several people, especially new Zumba-goers, come up to me and compliment me on how well I do in the class and they have said 'I could never do that' or 'I don't think my body can move like that' - to which I can say. Yes it can. It will. You just have to try. If you don't try or if you don't keep coming and practicing, you're right, it won't. Stick to it, and there will be a change. Even if you don't do the exact moves, at the very least, shake your ass :) 

There have also been a few times when I've stopped doing whatever I was doing in a class to help someone else with an exercise. This is a tricky one. I know nobody wants to be told what to do and nobody wants to feel like they are being criticized/watched. At the same time, I know that when there were exercises that I struggled with, I would have loved it if someone would have come up to me and given me a suggestion or some advice. I try to frame it like: I used to have a lot of trouble with that exercise, but then I tried it this way, and it slowly got easier. Usually I've gotten a good response, but at the same time, I don't want to step on anybody's toes. The fact that they're at the gym at all is a huge achievement. 

So that's my contribution to paying it forward in terms of health and fitness. I hope that I can continue to do so in a more significant way as my own health and fitness improves.

Week 3 Update

I woke up this morning feeling heavy. Ugh. Never a good feeling, especially before a weigh in. I know it has to do with dinner last night. I didn't eat much, but I did have hummus, and that always causes me to feel heavier than normal.

My workout this morning was good. I'm really close to finishing Stage 6 of NROL4W. I've got 3 more workouts left in this stage. I'm happy with the progress that I've made so far. Today, I used 50 kg (110 lbs) weights for my split squats :) Yay!

Work, unfortunately, was a bit chaotic. Three of our teachers were out today for some reason or another -- two of them are going to be gone this entire week, so guess what that means? One of their classes is going to join mine for the rest of the week. I've gone from a lovely class size of 21-students (an absolute dream compared to previous semesters) to 43 students ... back to the drawing board to do new lesson plans for the week!

Anyway - on to my Week 3 update.

Goals:

1. Weight loss goal: To lose 10 lbs by May 8th

This week I lost just over half a kilo (1.3 lbs), for an overall loss of 2.2 kg (4.84 lbs) since April 1st. I haven't set weekly weight loss targets - I just want to make sure that the overall number keeps going down and that I hit my 10 lb loss by May 8th. I'm taking it one gram at a time.

2. Non-scale goal: Make it through my list of things to do; Prepare for/Pass my PhD Viva

I'm still trying to make it through my list of things to do. I have made some progress in that area, but I'm ashamed to say that I haven't made as much progress as I have wanted to. The things I have done however are - finished reading through/commenting on the first 3 chapters of my thesis; sorted through my final batch of clothes; donated all the charity goods; commented on blogs, so all in all, not bad.

3. Exercise goal: I did really well in terms of exercise this week. I'm pleased to say I hit all my targets.

- Gym 6x/week - Done!

- Weight training 3x/week (4 if possible) - Managed 4 sessions (3 NROL4W and 1 Body Pump)

- Cardio 6 hrs of week (10 if possible) - Completed just over 8 hours of cardio this week

- Abs focus 3x/week - Did abs 3 times this week, including the ab blast class!

I actually have a new exercise goal to add. A few days ago I was debating whether or not I should register for a 10k run in November ... and finally decided to do it :) I just registered, so training for the 10k is an additional exercise goal. However, I don't plan on starting it until I come back from London. It's just not feasible at the moment to start a regimented program, but I'll see what I can do during my normal cardio sessions to start preparing :)

4. Nutrition goal

- Drink 3.5-4 L water daily - Done!

- Eat at least 1 serving of fruit daily - Ugh. Only managed 4 days of fresh fruit out of the 7. Must keep working on this!

- Greatly reduce carbs during dinner - Done. Only had carbs (wheat/grain based) once for dinner this week; the rest was lean protein and vegetables for the most part

- Track food & water intake on a daily basis - I'm being vigilant, but I still haven't been writing it all down. I'm too busy/tired with all the exercise!

Overall, not too bad for week 3. My goals for week 4.

1) Weight loss - just keep losing some weight; no pressure on a number - I just want to see the number go down.

2) Non-scale goal - Finish reading/editing chapters 4 & 5 of my thesis; I have a major task of organizing my data charts. I MUST get a start on this in order to get it done before I travel in May; Organize my bookshelf; Get my car papers done!!

3) Exercise goal - same as before; still try to get at least one class of pilates; body balance; yoga in

4) Nutrition goal - same as before

Hope everyone has a fantastic week 4!

Inspired

I've been trying my best to make the rounds to all the challengers - not just to their Challenge update posts, but to their regular posts as well. It's made for some amazing reading -- there's a lot of pounds being shed out there!

Reading blogs from so many different people has had a bigger impact on me than I realized. The main thing is - you know you're not alone. There are other people who are working hard and trying to fight this weight loss battle.

If you haven't struggled with a weight issue, then I don't think that you know how hard it is to lose the weight. Sure, eat less, move more. Yes. We know. The thing is, it really isn't as simple as that. There are other issues that have to be dealt with. Reading about how others deal with their weaknesses and struggles has been eye opening. It has given me the motivation to keep moving forward, and there are also some posts that remind me of what not to do -- it's all part of the learning process.

I've been blogging for ten months now. There are some blogs that I was reading before this challenge started, and I'm glad to see that some of those bloggers have joined this challenge as well.

Each blog has been inspiring/motivating in some way or another. It's tough to narrow this post down to just a few mentions, but here are a few that particularly stand out.

I've been reading Kris' blog Trying to Tri for some time now. Her workout routine is amazing -- she works HARD. Reading her breakdown of her goals and how she reaches them (amid her busy, busy schedule) is truly inspiring.

I've also been reading Jillian's blog at I'm in love alright, with my crazy, beautiful life. If it's possible for charisma to translate through the Internet, then I've got to say, Jillian wins the prize! I can relate to a lot of the struggles that Jillian has been going through. Still, through it all, she's trying.

Some newer finds through this challenge are:

Treadmill Hiker at February Fitness Project is working on just just losing weight but also changing her lifestyle in a way that is reasonable. The motivation pictures she posts are truly motivating, and I find that I can relate to a lot of her blog posts.

Blog Wobble - how can you not love a blog with that title? Her posts are not just weight updates, but also updates on how this weight loss journey is a journey of discovery.

The first thing that struck me about Finding the Not So Big Jo is her infectious smile. She's got a lot going on, but is still taking steps towards her goal!

Reading Caron's blog (at At Goal Weight Watcher) reminds me that even once you've hit your target, you've got to work hard to keep it off. It does get a bit easier, but it will always require some time and effort.

There are so many others that I love to read and that continue to inspire and motivate me. Thanks for taking the time to visit my blog and comment on my posts - it means a lot!

Good luck with the rest of the challenge!

Patient and Positive - Summer Challenge Week 3

The weekends in Kuwait are on Friday and Saturday, so Sundays are the start of my work week. For some reason, every Sunday morning I seem to be in a rush. I consider myself fairly organized, but somehow or another, I'm rushing ... I wake up super early in the morning to help me avoid this rush, but it hasn't worked. Apparently the extra time just gives me more of a chance to procrastinate.

As I in the middle of all this frantic-ness, a friend of mine who is a yoga instructor in the States (check out his website here, and do take a moment to read his 'about me' page) posted a link to an article he wrote about slowing down and enjoying the present instead of rushing towards the future. It's definitely worth a read so do check it out when you have the time. It's entitled Check Yourself before you Wreck Yourself.

It was just the reminder that I needed -- slow down. You're missing life by rushing around, and all those things you're rushing away from ... well, slow down and confront them. They won't disappear on their own.

So, on to my workout today -- I completed the second round of Workout B in NROL4W. I upped a few more weights and felt really good. This program has definitely taught me not to be afraid of lifting heavier weights - 3 sets of 8 reps ... there's definitely room to challenge yourself. Next week it's going to be 3 sets of 6, so I will continue to push myself.

I only did weights today. I was tempted to go in for another session of cardio, but I know I have a long session planned for tomorrow so I decided not to go overboard and exhaust myself.

Now, for the Summer Challenge update ...

We're heading into week 3 already! Here's a recap of my goals and where I stand so far:

Recap and Progress

I'm lumping my weight loss goal & exercise goal into 1 category:

• Weight loss goal: Lose 10 lbs by May 8
• Exercise goal: gym 6x/week; 3 weight training sessions; 6 hrs of cardio; abs 3x/week
• Mini week 2 fitness goal - try something new

I should be happy that I weighed in 1.7 kg (4 lbs) lighter than last week -- and I am definitely happy that I lost a bit of weight -- but I feel like it's the same 4 lbs that I keep gaining and losing. I've only come down just under 10 lbs since the beginning of February of this year (which is when I restarted keeping proper track of exercise/food/measurements etc.). I just don't have the confidence that next week (and the weeks after) will show significant different changes. I feel stuck.

I know my measurements were good last week and showed signs of progress, but they're not enough. Unless the weight comes off, my BMI won't come down, and that's the truth. This +/- 5 lbs is just not good enough.

The thing is, I feel like this past week represents a really good week for me - my exercise was on point. I hit all my exercise targets (6 days at the gym; 4 days of 1-1.5 hrs of weight lifting; 6.5 hours of cardio; 4 abs sessions). I feel like this is what is realistically possible for me on a weekly basis. There may be some days when I can do more ... but for the most part, this is the standard amount of time/energy that is realistic for me ... and again, while I did lose almost 2 kg, it's the same 2 kg that I gained last week -- what I really need is the NEXT 2 kg to come off ... then maybe some of my confidence will be restored. At the moment, my current weight just represents a 2 lb loss since the start of the challenge. Frustrating :(

I am so tempted to change things up and incorporate some additional strength/conditioning workouts, but I don't know how realistic or sustainable that will be ... plus I really, really want to stick with the plan. I won't know how much the NROL4W program will work unless I complete it ... so I'm going to stick to it. I really do love the program and I HIGHLY recommend the book -- it's just that you have to be patient. I guess that's going to be the case with any workout program that I try. It will take time for the results to show, so I have to be patient and keep trying.

For the new exercise this week, was Wednesday's new boxing routine. Although I have been boxing, it was the first time that I used a full bag -- and believe me, the swing back of the bag added quite a bit of impact to each punch! It was very enjoyable!! :)

Non-scale goal:

I've been making some progress getting through the endless to-do list. Some of it got put on hold again because the mountain of grading I had to do over the past few days. Still, a few things were achieved. I'm still not adding anything to the list until I've gotten them all done. Hopefully I can specify a few more tasks next week.

As for the preparation for my PhD defense ... I had a very encouraging phone conference with my supervisor. I'm making steady process through my thesis and it doesn't look too horrible. Hopefully it'll all go smoothly :)

Finally - my nutrition goal: Drink 3.5-4L of water daily; eat fresh fruit daily; reduce carbs during dinner; track foods on a daily basis ...

My water intake has been great - I've been drinking 3.5 L of water without a problem. I sometimes struggle to get to 4 L, though there were 2 days this past week when I drank 5 L of water -- it's all that cardio!! I'm also super proud that aside from one day I've managed to eat my fruit. I've practically cut out all wheat-based carbs for dinner (save one day) so that's going well. The only place I've been slacking is the accurate tracking of foods on a daily basis. I'm being conscious of what I'm eating, but I haven't been so good at writing it down.

So, all in all -- a good week. I'm very happy with my workouts and quite pleased with my food. Goals for week 3: More of the same; maybe try to fit in at least one yoga/pilates session to incorporate some stretching into my routine.

Overall, it's just about continuing to move forward and stay patient and positive!

Stumbling Blocks and Some Progress

As much as I had been hoping to get a great start to the month, I have to say that I had quite a few stumbling blocks from the moment I woke up ... though I'm not sure I can even say 'woke up' as I barely got any sleep last night. Please don't tell me the crazy insomnia is going to start again. I thought I was just getting into a stable routine!

Although I was in bed for 5 hours, I must have woken up at least 8 times throughout the night - tossing and turning to get back to sleep. Needless to say, it was not a restful night.

So, I woke up not feeling rested, and also feeling slightly panicked as I had a full day ahead of me and still did not feel prepared enough.

First thing -- weigh in.

I'm up to my plateau weight again!!! *sob* *cry* *wail*

I've gained 1.5 kg over the past 2 weeks (That's 3.3 lbs). I felt absolutely horrible.

Two weeks ago when I finally dipped the 1.5 kg below my plateau weight, I was over the moon! My food habits pretty much stayed the same since then, but what changed is that week I worked in extra cardio, and this week (partly because of my leg, partly because of time constraints) I just spent a 'normal' amount of time at the gym ... apparently, normal just won't cut it for me.

Well, before I get too carried away, let me give you a few numbers. I weigh myself weekly, but I also measure myself on the 1st of every month ... here's what the numbers show:

Since March 1st, I have lost 1/2 an inch on my neck, 1 inch around my bust, 3.5 inches off my abs, and 1.3 inches off my butt!

I have to say, I was so relieved. I knew I had been working out hard. I knew that I felt/could see differences in my body. While the number on the scale did not reflect one that I wanted to see, the body measurements made me feel better. Still, I can't wait for the day when both the number on the scale and the loss of inches reflect the same losses.

Weigh in out of the way I headed to the kitchen to make breakfast ... hmmmm, in yesterday's chaos at the supermarket, I forgot to buy milk. I had just enough to make either a bowl of cereal or a post-workout protein shake. I decided to go for the protein shake since I was lifting weights in the morning ... the next dilemma. What to have for breakfast?

It irritates me that no matter how much I prepare, I still seem to fall short somehow. I wonder if I'm just trying to do too much? Perhaps my small tasks/goals are not small enough and I just haven't realistically understood the amount of time it actually takes me to get through things? I don't know. All I do know is that not getting stuff done is frustrating and really throws my day out of sync.

The stumbling blocks didn't stop there ... I had put out my clothes for work (preparing in advance), so after my workout I was getting dressed ... only to find out that the skirt I brought was too big (that preparation didn't help!). I know, it's definitely a good thing, but also annoying since I didn't have the time to go back home and get another outfit, and trust me, standing in front of a class and trying to teach when having to adjust clothing is super-annoying.

Anyway. These little things throughout the day just made it a bit tedious to get through.

The rest of my day, however, slowly started to fall into place.

In the afternoon I met up with F. I've seen F around the gym many times before - she's amazingly fit and I've always admired the way she works out. I was happy to get a chance to finally sit down and talk to her about how she got into fitness (she just got her personal training certificate). I have to say, after speaking to her, my admiration went up even more -- she told me she used to be overweight -- and she dropped 45 kg (100 lbs) in just 5 months!! She did it herself -- just got into a workout program, watched what she ate, and did it ... I was in total awe! Talk about inspiration!!

About two weeks ago she approached me and told me that she was getting together a few women to try a special training program. It's sort of like timed matrixes of various exercises -- see how many routines you can complete within a set amount of time. I was surprised, but also pleased, that she approached me asking if I'd like to participate. Even though I'm not nearly as fit as she is, I told her I'd give it a go. I'm terrified but also excited to try it out. Hopefully it'll take place this coming Friday!

Today is the end of the first week of the Ready for Summer Challenge.

Progress for week 1:

1) Start NROL4W Stage 6 -- DONE

2) 3 weight sessions; 6 hours of cardio; 3 abs sessions -- I managed 4 weight sessions and 3 abs sessions, but only 5 hours of cardio. I must hit my minimum target this upcoming week.

3) Accomplished most of my tasks but still have a few that I didn't tackle yet or are just half done. My goal for week 2 is to definitely get these tasks done. I don't want to add anything else to the list because obviously I'm having a tough time catching up.

4) I've been eating fruit, but not on a daily basis yet ... as for trying something new - I made a quinoa and black bean chili -- it was delicious. I'll be sure to post the recipe soon!6

Update on NROL4W Stage 6 Workout A coming up in a separate post :)

Finding Focus - RFSC Week 1

My goal for this week is just to catch up and be where I should be in terms of ... everything! I've definitely realized that I flounder easily without a proper plan of attack when it comes to my day/week -- and that goes for my workouts, for getting in my home office sorted (again), getting my errands done, etc.

My main setback has definitely been the rest that I've been given my leg. However, I notice the improvement and I'm quite confident that I can resume my normal routine starting Sunday.

One of my goals for the ready for summer challenge (RFSC) is to set weekly goals so that I can hit my targets and stay focused. My week is going to be Sunday through Saturday -- since our work week starts on Sunday over here.

So, my week 1 (March 26-31) goals are:

• Plan my next NROL4W workout (to start on Sunday) -- If I don't get the go ahead from the doctor, then I'll repeat this week's workout schedule
• Hit my main gym goals (3 weight sessions; 6 hours of cardio; 3 abs sessions)
• Specific 'things to do' - complete my car registration paperwork; plan my lessons for the upcoming week; read 2 new articles; edit chapter one and start chapter 2 of my thesis; sort through the final batch of clothes; contact A to give the charity donations to Syria, spend at least 2 hours helping mom pack, set up my Polar heart rate monitor (that I got over a month ago!!), catch up on commenting on blogs (I've been terrible at this lately - apologies!!)
• Complete all my nutrition goals -- plan the upcoming week's menu and buy the groceries; make sure I eat my daily serving of fruit ... This week's challenge to experiment with a new fruit/veggie/healthy meal is a great one for me ... I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet, but I'll definitely be checking out my cookbooks today and figure something out!

It's been great reading through other people's blogs and seeing their goals for the challenge. It definitely provides an extra level of support and encouragement. I just hope that I'll be able to keep up with it all!

Today's workout:

Cardio focus: 10 km on the cross-trainer

Abs: 100 bicycle crunches (I hate them!), plank pose (3x1 min), reverse curls (100), kneeling side kicks (100/leg), push ups (20), rotary torso w/25 kg weight (30/side), 3 sets of 10 w/65 kg. weight back extension (to balance the workout out)

I'm desperate to do something about my 'abs' - they are non-existent and my core muscles are so bloody weak. I've neglected focusing on my abs because ... well, doing sit-ups etc. sucks! It's tough. It's painful. Still - if I want to see the results, I gotta do the work ... how do I expect to lose any inches around my waist without putting in the effort? That's gotta change. It is changing.

Catching Up & Summer Challenge

Where has the time gone? I find it incredible that I wake up so early in the morning and am still in a rush to get everything done. I feel like I'm constantly falling behind. While I do know that I procrastinate a bit, I know that I also keep busy almost all day ... Anyway.

I didn't get around to posting yesterday. Well, I started a post but never got around to finishing it. I didn't really have anything interesting to say in any case!

I started my new routine yesterday.

Sundays: 2.5 km warm-up (cross-trainer) followed by weights -- I just chose different exercises from the NROL4W program, but left out anything that involved lunges or squats. I found that even doing a one-point row (balancing on one foot while doing dumbbell rows) was still difficult for my left leg. Ugh!

I would have liked to have worked in another cardio session, but it didn't happen.

Mondays: cardio focus

I did 10 km on the cross-trainer this morning. It felt good!

I wanted to do some abs but didn't have time.

Apparently I need to either get to the gym earlier or modify my workout schedule because while I have managed to hit my main workout targets these past two days, I haven't been able to do the miscellaneous stuff ... and I know that it's the miscellaneous stuff that really jump starts/pushes me forward with losing weight.

I'm totally behind in the Happiness Project (been too busy trying to stay happy versus blogging about it) ... I will link up to the Happiness Project at the end of the month. For right now, I've got to set my goals for the Summer Challenge hosted by Maren.

Summer Challenge

1) Weight loss goal - divided into two parts:

Now to May 8th (the day I leave for London for my PhD defense): Lose 10 lbs

May 8th - June 3rd (end of challenge): Lose 5 lbs

2) Non-scale goal

Make it through my list of things to do.

I know that doesn't sound like a big goal, but believe me, it is -- my list of things to do is massive! I think what I need to do to tackle it I should make a daily (or at the very least weekly) list of targets to hit.

Pass my PhD Viva.

My Viva (PhD defense) is scheduled for May 11th. I've got to reread my thesis, make notes, and prepare for the defense. I'm hoping to pass it with only minor corrections to do ... it's definitely nerve-wracking!

3) Exercise goal

My workout plan is detailed and intense. However, due to time constraints in the morning (need to get to work by 9:45 am) I can't always finish it ... and I don't always have the time or energy to go back for a second workout. So, I'm going to divide my exercise goals into main goals and secondary goals.

Main goals:

- hit the gym 6 times a week

- complete 3 weight training sessions (free weights)

- complete 6 hours of cardio each week

- focus on abs workouts 3 times a week

Secondary goals:

- complete a 4th weight training session - either free weights or body pump

- complete another 4 hours of cardio per week (for a total of 10 hours of cardio)

4) Nutrition goal

I think my basic food choices are good, but I've still got to watch my portions and my intake of carbohydrates. I also need to make sure that I eat more fruit & raw foods. At the moment, although I mainly eat veggies, hardly any of it is raw. So, my main nutrition goals:

- Drink 3.5-4 L of water daily.

- Eat at least one serving of fruit (raw, not in the form of juice) daily

- Greatly reduce the quantity of carbs consumed during dinner

- Track food and water intake on a daily basis